UC-NRLF 


5bD 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


SELECTIONS    FROM    ESSAYS    ON 

HEALTH-CULTURE 

And   the   Sanitary    Woolen   System. 


BY 

GUSTAV   JAEGER,  M.D.,    STUTTGART, 

PROFESSOR  OF  ZOOLOGY  AND   PHYSIOLOGY. 

(TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    GERMAN.) 


DR.    JAEGER'S    SANITARY    WOOLEN 
SYSTEM   CO., 

Nos.  827  AND  829  BROADWAY, 

NEW   YORK. 
1886. 


"The  first  Wealth  is  Health." 

— EMERSON. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1886,  by 

LEWIS  C.  HOPKINS, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress, 
at  Washington,  D.  C. 


Press  of  F.  S,  &  C,  B,  BARTRAM,  120  William  Street,  New  York, 


PREFACE.       i 

BY  THE  AMERICAN  EDITOR. 

^PHE  proprietors  of  Dr.  Gustav  Jaeger's  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  have  met  with  such  unex- 
ampled success  in  introducing  it  in  England  and 
on  the  Continent,  during  the  four  years  in  which 
it  has  been  on  trial  there,  that  they  feel  confident 
of  having  an  improved  system  of  Sanatory  Clothing 
to  offer  to  the  American  people  which  will  not  only 
meet  the  necessities  incident  to  the  conditions  of 
the  North  American  climate,  but  will  also  supply  a 
want  long  felt  and  intelligently  realized  by  a  large 
portion  of  this  great  community. 

A  people  fertile  in  the  invention  of  devices  and 
the  contrivance  of  means  for  meeting  the  exigencies 
of  a  varied  climate,  and  the  demands  of  an  advanced 
stage  of  civilization,  will  not  be  slow  to  appreciate 
the  merits  and  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages 
of  the  inventions  and  discoveries  of  their  transat- 
lantic neighbors.  This  Sanitary  System  of  Cloth- 
ing appeals  at  once  to  the  American  practical  com- 
mon sense,  and  will  undoubtedly  find  a  hearty 
welcome  and  a  speedy  adoption. 

It  is  in  this  conviction  that  arrangements  have 
been  made  for  opening  a  spacious  wholesale  and 
retail  mercantile  establishment  in  New  York,  and 
it  is  with  a  view  to  enlightening  the  public  as  to 

STi347957 


iv  Preface. 

the  scientific  claims  of  the  New  System  that  the 
substance  of  Dr.  Jaeger's  European  publications 
have  been  compiled,  with  but  the  fewest  and  slight- 
est modifications,  in  his  own  popular  language,  and 
offered  to  the  American  readers  in  this  compact, 
but  comprehensive  and  intelligible  form. 

Dr.  Jaeger's  own  preface  is  presented  with  this. 
The  cordial  indorsement  of  Dr.  Jaeger's  Sanitary 
System,  by  some  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  of 
England  and  the  Continent,  will  surely  commend 
it  to  a  fair  hearing  and  the  candid  consideration  of 
the  Public. 

NEW  YORK,  1886. 


PREFACE. 


'"THE  scientific  and  technical  discussion  of  my 
researches  in  the  direction  of  Health-culture 
will  be  found  in  works  previously  published  by  me 
on  allied  topics,  such  as  Die  menschliche  Arbeitskraft 
(Munich:  R.  Oldenburg,  1878),  Seuchenfestigkeitund 
Konstitutionskraft  (Leipzig:  Ernst  Giinther,  1878), 
and  Die  Entdeckung  der  Seele  (Leipzig:  Ernst  Giin- 
ther, 1880).  In  writing  the  essays  contained  in 
this  volume,  I  have  aimed  at  the  practical  appli- 
cation and  diffusion  of  my  views,  and  have  con- 
sequently striven  to  adopt  the  plainest  mode  of 
popular  exposition.  Next  to  the  soundness  of  my 
sanitary  proposals — which,  indeed,  will  speak  for 
themselves  upon  a  first  trial — I  am  chiefly  indebted 
to  the  popular  form  of  my  compositions  for  the  ex- 
traordinary rapidity,  assuredly  unsurpassed  in  its 
way,  with  which  the  Sanitary  Woolen  system  has 
borne  down  every  obstruction  in  its  path. 

I  am  anxious  here  to  caution  my  readers  before- 
hand against  erroneous  impressions  with  respect  to 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System.  Dress  has  hitherto 
been  generally  regarded  merely  as  a  means  of  pro- 
tection to  the  body.  This  restriction  is  correct 
when  clothing  is  manufactured  partly  from  vege- 
table and  partly  from  animal  fibers;  but  it  falls 
altogether  short  of  the  whole  truth,  when  enter- 
tained in  relation  to  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing. 
The  latter  supplies  a  decidedly  nearer  perfect  and 
more  effectual  protection  than  is  afforded  by  ordi- 
nary "  mixed"  clothing;  it  has,  however,  besides,  the 


vi  Preface. 

most  important  effect  of  rendering  the  body  hardy. 
This  operation  is  gradual  but  certain.  The  wearer 
is  not  at  once  made  proof  against  influences  of 
weather,  infection,  etc.;  various  disturbances  of 
health  may  occur,  but  their  short  duration  will  be 
proof  that  the  right  course  has  been  taken  to  secure 
"a  sound  mind  in  a  sound  body." 

Perceiving  the  difficulty  of  inducing  any  im- 
portant section  of  the  public  to  adopt  a  reformed 
System  of  clothing,  unless  practically  assisted  by 
a  provision  of  garments  made  in  accordance  with 
my  System,  I  arranged  for  this  to  be  done  under 
my  control. 

With  the  experience  obtained  of  the  vitiation 
of  woolen  fabrics  by  the  admixture  of  cotton, 
and  in  view  of  the  unreadiness  with  which  manu- 
facturers and  tradesmen  at  first  took  up  the  matter, 
I  feel  satisfied  that  by  adopting  this  practical 
course  I  greatly  assisted  the  extension  of  the  re- 
form. In  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  woolen 
fabrics  adulterated  by  the  addition  of  vegetable 
fiber  bear  to  the  genuine  article  an  analogous  rela- 
tion to  that  which  wine  tainted  with  fusel  oil  bears 
to  pure  wine,  because  the  cotton  threads  fix  and 
retain  the  "  noxious"  emanations  corresponding 
to  the  vapors  of  fusel  oil.  If,  therefore,  for  the 
sake  of  a  possible  saving  in  price  or  on  the  score 
of  convenience,  people  are  induced  to  deal  in 
doubtful  quarters  and  to  forego  the  advantage  of 
thorough  investigation,  I  beg  that  any  untoward 
experience  may  not  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  the 
System. 

G.  JAEGER, 
STUTTGART. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

EFFECTS  OF  EXCESS  OF  FAT  AND  WATER  IN  THE  TISSUES  i 

UNDERVESTS 12 

THE  CAUSES  OF  DISEASE,  AND  DISEASE  GERMS.        .        .  14 

THE  SPECIFIC  GRAVITY  OF  THE  BODY        ....  28 

THE  SANATORY  COAT 35 

THE  SOURCE  OF  THE  EMOTIONS 38 

SANATORY  WOOLEN  CLOTHING 47 

THE  OPEN  BEDROOM  WINDOW 52 

THE  DEODORIZATION  OF  THE  BODY 54 

THE  GERMAN  GYMNASTIC  SUIT 61 

THE  ATMOSPHERE  OF  SCHOOLROOMS 63 

SUMMER  AND  WINTER  CLOTHING 65 

INHALING  OF  DUST 69 

CATARRH 71 

THE  SHIRT,  THE  TROUSERS,  AND  THE  HAT        ...  73 

NORMAL  DURATION  OF  HUMAN  LIFE 75 

DIPHTHERIA 77 

THE  CLEANLINESS  OF  THE  SANITARY  WOOLEN  CLOTHING 

SYSTEM 80 

THE  COLLAR 81 

SILK 84 

Is  WOOLEN  CLOTHING  WEAKENING?  .....  84 

THE  CURATIVE  POWER  OF  WOOL 86 

PROGRESS  OF  THE  SANITARY  WOOLEN  CLOTHING  REFORM  .  89 

VARIATIONS  OF  TEMPERATURE,  AND  SUNSTROKE         .        .  92 

THE  WOOLEN  GLOVE,  AND  STINGS 94 

PATENTS  AND  ROYALTIES 96 

TAILORS 100 

THE  CRISIS  OP  DISEASE  101 


viii  Contents. 

l>AGfi 

WOOLEN  CLOTHING  FIRE-PROOF 106 

THE  SANATORY  WOOLEN  HANDKERCHIEF,  AND  CATARRHAL 

INFECTION 107 

THE  ADULTERATION  OF  WOOL  WITH  COTTON  .  .  .no 

THE  AIR  IN  ROOMS in 

COLD  BATHS 122 

THE  SOCK  OR  STOCKING 124 

THE  NATURE  OF  DISEASE 126 

THE  SANATORY  WOOLEN  BED 134 

THE  PLATINUM  LAMP  DEODORIZER 137 

WRITERS'  CRAMP 145 

THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF  COLORS  OR  DYES. — I.  .  .  146 

THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF  COLORS  OR  DYES.— II.  .  .  151 

THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF  COLORS  OR  DYES. — III. .  .  156 

GIRDED  LOINS 159 

THE  CORSET 166 

THE  SANATORY  BOOT 167 

THE  CLEANSING  OF  THE  OUTER  CLOTHING  AND  BEDDING  171 

THE  TREATMENT  OF  INFANTS 173 

VEGETARIANISM 177 

THE  POSITIVE  AND  NEGATIVE  EFFECTS  OF  THE  SANITARY 

WOOLEN  SYSTEM  .  . 185 

VEGETABLE  FIBER,  WHY  AND  WHEN  UNSANATORY  .  .  189 

INDEX 193 


SELECTIONS  FROM  ESSAYS  ON 

HEALTH -CULTURE, 

AND   THE   SANITARY  WOOLEN   SYSTEM. 


EFFECTS  OF  EXCESS  OF  FAT  AND 
WATER  IN  THE  TISSUES. 

(1878.) 

HE  English  word  "condition"  is  the  only  ade- 
1  quate  term  wherewith  to  express  that  state  of 
mind  and  body  in  which  the  health  and  working 
power  leave  nothing  to  be  desired.  Let  us  first 
see  what  constitutes  "condition."  Briefly  stated, 
it  depends  upon  the  correct  proportion  of  the  most 
important  bodily  constituents,  and  upon  certain 
physical  properties  and  processes  of  the  living 
tissues. 

As  regards  a  correct  proportion  of  the  bodily 
constituents,  we  may  limit  our  inquiry  to  an  ex- 
amination of  three  of  these — albumen,  fat,  and 
water.  The  first  is  the  chief  constituent  of  muscle, 
nerve,  blood,  etc.,  and,  in  fact,  maintains  the  exist- 
ence of  the  body.  Relatively  to  this  substance, 
water  and  fat  may  be  viewed  simply  as  auxiliaries, 
although  indispensable  in  themselves.  A  proper 
condition  of  the  body  requires  that  these  three  con- 


2  Effects  of  Excess  of 

stituents  shall  be  present  in  certain  proportions, 
and  the  more  strictly  these  proportions  are  preserved 
in  it  the  sounder  it  will  be  and  the  fitter  for  work; 
on  the  other  hand,  any  excess  of  water  or  of  fat 
will  lessen  its  energies  and  its  power  of  repelling 
the  action  of  influences  likely  to  generate  disease. 

Touching  the  physical  properties,  we  have  first 
to  consider  the  degree  of  excitability  of  the  life 
conductors  of  the  body,  chief  among  which  are  the 
nerves  and  the  muscles;  for  upon  this  quality  de- 
pend energy,  speed,  and  capacity  for  action  in  bod- 
ily and  mental  work,  as  well  as  in  those  processes 
of  adjustment  which  protect  the  body  against  ex- 
ternal disturbing  influences.  The  second  point  re- 
lates to  the  conditions  of  elasticity  in  the  sinews, 
ligaments,  vessels,  lung  tissues,  etc.  Any  diminu- 
tion in  their  flexibility  and  firmness  lessens  the 
energy  and  the  power  of  resistance  of  the  body. 

Imperfect  action  of  the  skin  will  induce,  with 
varying  rapidity,  certain  changes  in  the  propor- 
tions of  the  constituents  and  in  the  physical  prop- 
erties of  the  substance  of  the  body. 

These  changes  must  be  considered  separately. 

Foremost  I  place  the  increase  of  the  store  of  fat, 
which  almost  invariably  supervenes  in  cases  of 
sedentary  habits  of  life,  when  there  is  no  want  of 
food.  The  injurious  effects  of  an  accumulation  of 
fat,  as  established  by  careful  experiments,  are  as 
follows: 

Fat  people  possess  considerably  less  blood  than 
the  lean,  and  it  is  consequently  a  mistake  to  sup- 
pose that  obese  people  are  necessarily  full-blooded. 
On  the  contrary,  they  are  poor-blooded,  which  in 
itself  is  a  malady  made  manifest  by  a  never-ending 


Fat  and  Water  in  the  Tissues.  3 

series  of  minor  disorders  of  the  general  economy; 
and  there  is  a  variety  of  diseases  to  which  fat  peo- 
ple fall  a  prey  and  succumb  much  sooner  than  the 
lean,  notably  all  those  which  are  determined  by  the 
quantity  of  blood  in  the  system.  With  reference 
to  vital  energy,  it  is  notorious  that  persons  suffer- 
ing from  poorness  of  blood  are  incapable  of  doing 
the  same  amount  of  work  as  those  who  possess  a 
full  measure  of  blood,  because  the  working  power 
of  an  organ  depends  upon  the  store  of  blood  in  it. 
Another  drawback  of  obesity  is  that  the  fat  dimin- 
ishes the  space  necessary  for  the  circulation  of  the 
blood  and  the  play  of  the  respiratory  organs.  The 
first  of  these  evils  brings  about  an  abnormal  distribu- 
tion of  the  blood  in  the  system,  which  is  less  appar- 
ent if  the  body  be  resting,  but  shows  itself  as  soon 
as  the  circulation  quickens,  when  the  rapid  flush- 
ing of  the  face  indicates  an  excessive  rush  of  blood 
to  the  head,  which  may  produce  dizziness  or  apo- 
plexy. Another  irregularity  in  the  distribution  of 
blood  is,  that  its  return  from  the  lower  parts  of  the 
body  towards  the  heart  is  hindered  by  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  space  in  the  abdominal  cavity.  This 
causes  heaviness  and  lassitude  in  the  legs,  and  a 
tendency  to  the  formation  of  varicose  veins;  while, 
if  the  elimination  of  water  from  the  system  be  im- 
peded, there  will  ensue  dropsical  swelling  of  the 
legs.  The  obstruction  of  the  return  of  blood  from 
the  abdominal  organs  causes  the  extremely  troub- 
lesome, and,  in  their  latter  stages  of  development, 
even  dangerous,  hernorrhoidal  complaints  which  al- 
most invariably  afflict  the  obese.  A  hampered  cir- 
culation is  also  one  of  the  reasons  why  fat  people 
are  less  capable  of  work  than  the  lean.  If  an  organ 


4  Effects  of  Excess  of 

be  required  to  do  work,  it  needs  80  per  cent  more 
blood  than  when  at  rest.  Every  labor  therefore 
necessitates  an  alteration  in  the  distribution  of  the 
blood,  to  which  fat  operates  as  a  hindrance,  block- 
ing the  way  so  that  the  blood  cannot  flow  in  suffi- 
cient quantity  to  the  part  that  requires  it. 

The  diminution  of  space  due  to  increase  of  fat  is 
also  mischievous  from  its  interference  with  the  free 
play  of  the  lungs.  On  this  point  I  myself  took 
measurements,  which  went  to  show  that,  among 
men  forty  years  of  age,  the  obese  could  only  empty 
a  breathing  measure  to  the  extent  of  18  cubic  cen- 
timetres of  air  to  every  kilogramme  of  weight  of 
body,  after  taking  in  the  longest  possible  breath, 
while  the  lean  would  inhale  40  to  50  cubic  centi- 
metres, or  about  three  times  as  much.  It  follows 
that  the  obese  are  disabled  from  exceptional  exer- 
tion necessitating  fuller  breathing  than  usual,  and  a 
more  copious  flow  of  blood  through  the  lungs, 
which  latter  have  not  sufficient  space  either  for  the 
air  or  the  blood.  The  obstruction  caused  by  fat  is 
shown  in  the  rapidity  with  which  an  obese  person 
becomes  heated  by  exertion;  but  even  in  repose 
this  interference  with  the  free  play  of  the  respira- 
tory apparatus  is  injurious,  and  renders  the  body 
sluggish,  because  it  checks  the  excretion  and  com- 
bustion of  the  substances  (carbonic  acid,  water, 
and  lactic  acid)  which  hinder  the  proper  functional 
processes  of  the  body. 

With  regard  to  the  greater  liability,  in  cases  of 
obesity,  to  attacks  of  disease,  I  may  particularly 
refer  to  the  danger  of  pulmonary  affections.  If 
any  such  malady  render  one  portion  of  the  lungs 
unserviceable,  life  will  be  further  shortened  by  the 


Fat  and  Water  in  the  Tissues.  5 

reduced  working  capacity  of  the  remnant  which 
may  be  still  available  for  use.  Fat  people  are  also 
far  more  susceptible  to  such  maladies  as  gout, 
dropsy,  emphysematous  lesions,  etc. 

The  effect  of  fatty  deposits  upon  the  physical 
properties  of  the  living  tissues,  and  especially  upon 
the  measure  of  their  activity,  may  be  easily  verified 
by  experiments.  If  a  nerve  be  severed  in  a  living 
animal,  so  that  the  brain  can  no  longer  transmit  its 
action,  and  is  thus  reduced  to  a  condition  of  rest, 
globules  of  fatty  matter  will  be  gradually  deposited, 
and  in  proportion  as  this  proceeds,  the  active  faculty 
of  the  brain  will  decrease.  A  similar  change  affects 
the  muscles  when  their  nerves  have  been  cut.  Their 
power  of  contraction  and  the  energy  of  the  contrac- 
tions diminish  in  the  same  ratio  as  the  granules  of 
fat  increase  in  number  and  size.  Since,  therefore, 
the  measure  of  excitability  in  nerve  and  muscle 
governs  the  power  and  energy,  not  only  of  bodily, 
but  also  of  mental  work,  it  will  be  easily  understood 
why  corpulent  persons  become  inert  and  limp  both 
in  body  and  mind.  As  regards  the  mind,  I  may 
add  that  fatty  degeneration  of  the  brain  is  one  of 
the  most  frequent  causes  of  imbecility  and  mental 
aberration. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  any  one 
wishing  to  preserve  health  and  working  capacity, 
should  keep  strict  watch,  as  to  whether  any  deposit 
of  fat  is  going  on  in  the  body.  Such  symptoms 
must  be  taken  as  a  memento  mori,  evidencing  a  wrong 
system  of  living,  and  in  order  to  stay  the  further 
accumulation  of  fat,  and  to  get  rid  of  what  is  super- 
fluous, recourse  must  be  had  to  increased  action  of 
the  skin,  There  is  no  better  remedy.  Against  the 


6  Effects  of  Excess  of 

well-known  BANTING  cure,  consisting  in  abstinence 
as  much  as  possible  from  fatty  or  farinaceous  food, 
I  would  caution  all  persons  with  whom  the  deposit 
of  fat  has  attained  any  considerable  proportions, 
because  under  such  circumstances  it  may  become 
dangerous;  and  even  though  it  bring  no  peril  with 
it  in  particular  cases,  the  efficacy  of  the  BANTING 
cure  is  infinitely  inferior  to  the  agency  of  an  active 
skin  in  the  restoration  of  a  healthy  condition  to 
mind  and  body. 

An  inordinate  increase  of  the  percentage  of  water 
is  not  so  apparent  as  the  deposit  of  fatty  matter — 
if  the  two  morbid  conditions  do  not  manifest  them- 
selves concurrently,  which  is  generally  the  case — yet 
it  makes  itself  distinctly  felt;  the  flesh  is  flabby,  and 
doughy,  whereas  under  normal  conditions  it  should 
be  perfectly  elastic  and  firm.  Accumulation  of 
water  in  the  system  directly  tends  to  increase  the 
percentage  of  water  in  the  blood,  which  means 
poorness  of  blood,  and  a  consequent  lowering  of 
the  powers  in  all  parts  of  the  body;  for  their  nutri- 
tion is  lessened,  and  the  water  in  them  increases, 
lowering  the  vital  forces,  or,  in  other  words,  dimin- 
ishing the  normal  activity  of  nerve  and  muscle, 
and  eventually  suspending  it  altogether. 

This  is  shown  on  the  one  hand  by  the  phenomena 
attendant  on  dropsy  proper,  and  on  the  other,  I  had 
evidence  of  it  in  an  experiment  tried  upon  myself 
and  a  few  thoroughly  healthy  subjects,  among 
whom  were  two  of  our  local  medical  men.  In  this 
experiment  I  endeavored  to  determine  by  figures 
how  far  the  loss  of  water  in  the  tissues,  caused  by 
the  action  of  a  Turkish  bath,  would  affect  the  speed 
of  nerve  transmission,  not  only  in  the  sensory  and 


Fat  and  Water  in  the  Tissues.  7 

motor  nerves,  but  also  in  the  cranial  nerves.  For 
investigations  of  this  kind,  the  experiment  was  con- 
ducted in  the  following  manner: 

A  stop-watch  is  used,  the  index-hand  of  which, 
by  simple  pressure  exerted  upon  two  separate  knobs, 
can  either  be  brought  to  a  standstill  or  again  re- 
connected with  the  clock-work,  which  continues  to 
run;  and  the  stop-watch  is  so  constructed  as  to  re- 
cord the  two-thousandth  part  of  a  second.  The 
operator  holds  the  knob  that  sets  the  index-hand 
in  motion,  while  upon  the  stoppage-knob  rests  the 
finger  of  the  person  undergoing  the  test.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  trial  the  index-hand  stands 
still,  and  its  position  is  noted.  As  soon  as  the  oper- 
ator starts  the  index-hand,  by  pressing  the  knob 
under  his  control,  the  other  person  must  arrest  it 
by  pressing  the  second  knob.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  two  readings  or  positions  of  the  index 
will  then  accurately  indicate,  on  a  scale  of  one  two- 
thousandth  part  of  a  second,  the  time  needed  by 
the  above  excitation  to  run  its  course  through  the 
eye,  the  optic  nerves,  the  brain,  the  nerves  of  the 
arm,  and  finally  reach  the  muscles  actuating  the 
finger  that  presses  against  the  knob.  I  made  an- 
other experiment.  The  stop-watch  was  connected 
with  an  electric  bell,  which  intimated  to  the  subject 
of  the  test  the  starting  of  the  index-hand.  This 
gave  the  time  of  transmission  of  the  nervous  im- 
pulse from  the  ear  to  the  finger.  Thirdly,  to  test 
the  activity  of  the  brain,  two  bells  were  connected 
with  the  clock-work,  one  on  the  right  hand  and  the 
other  on  the  left  of  the  subject  of  the  test,  in  each 
of  whose  hands  was  placed  a  knob  with  which  to  stop 
the  index.  The  operator  held  in  his  grasp  two  other 


8  Effects  of  Excess  of 

knobs,  enabling  him  to  ring  the  bell  on  either  side 
at  will,  when  the  index-hand  was  set  agoing.  The 
subject  of  the  test  was  required  to  press  the  knobs 
right  or  left,  accordingly  as  the  bell  rang  right  or 
left.  The  intervals  of  time,  as  ascertained  in  this 
last  trial,  were  constantly  longer  than  those  re- 
corded in  the  second  experiment,  when  only  one 
bell  had  been  used;  and  the  deduction  of  the  inter- 
val of  time  involved  in  the  second  experiment  from 
that  required  in  the  third  experiment  will  give  the 
duration  of  the  psychical  operation  upon  which 
depends  the  act  of  discrimination  between  right 
and  left.  Of  course  such  tests  need  repetition  at 
least  half  a  dozen  times,  and  the  average  will  give 
the  result.  In  the  series  of  experiments  above 
described,  the  tests  were  applied  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  day  previous  to  the  persons  taking  a  Turkish 
bath,  and  repeated  the  following  day  at  the  same 
hour,  but  after  a  Turkish  bath  taken  in  the  morning. 
In  each  case  there  was  increased  rapidity  of  action; 
the  average  amounting  to  13  per  cent.  This  is  the 
numerical  expression  of  an  important  enhancement 
in  the  capacity  of  the  nervous  and  mental  energy. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  muscular  power  does 
not  undergo  change  as  a  consequence  of  administer- 
ing a  Turkish  bath.  This  I  ascertained  by  noting 
the  length  of  time  during  which  a  forty-five  pound 
weight  could  be  held  up  with  the  arm  bent  at  right 
angles. 

Before  I  had  instituted  these  stop-watch  experi- 
ments, I  had  become  aware,  in  the  following  man- 
ner, of  the  great  influence  exercised  by  the  propor- 
tion of  water  in  the  body  upon  the  working  powers 
of  the  mind.  Towards  the  end  of  last  winter,  and, 


Fat  and  Water  in  the  Tissues.  9 

without  signs  of  any  particular  sickening,  I  experi- 
enced so  notable  a  diminution  of  my  working  capa- 
city, while  engaged  in  the  preparation  of  a  book  on 
The  Working  Power  of  Man,  that  I  could  at  most 
accomplish  eight  manuscript  pages  a  day,  while  I 
found  I  required  a  very  unusual  amount  of  sleep. 
Contemporaneously  with  this,  I  had  increased  in 
girth  very  considerably.  At  the  time  it  occurred  to 
me  that  the  cause  of  this  diminished  capacity  for 
work  might  be  attributable  to  increase,  not  only  of 
fatty  matter,  but  of  water  as  well,  and  I  resolved  to 
seek  a  remedy,  commencing  with  a  few  Turkish 
baths,  and  continuing  with  a  regular  course  of  ex- 
ercise. Ere  I  reached  the  latter  stage  of  my  train- 
ing, my  capacity  for  mental  work  had  so  far  im- 
proved, after  five  Turkish  baths,  that  I  could  finish 
nearly  double  the  amount  of  manuscript  in  the 
course  of  the  day. 

In  considering  how  far  an  increased  percentage 
of  water  in  the  sys'tem  intensifies  the  liability  to 
sickness,  the  fact  may  be  instanced  that  decay  sets 
in  much  sooner  after  death  in  dropsical  cases  than 
in  others,  showing  that  an  excess  of  water  acceler- 
ates the  decomposition  of  the  bodily  substance.  To 
this  may  be  added  that  when  the  blood  is  watery, 
and  therefore  in  a  more  fluid  state,  injurious  irregu- 
larities in  its  distribution  are  facilitated  ;  and  I 
would,  at  least  partly,  ascribe  sensitiveness  to  so- 
called  colds  and  chills  to  an  excess  of  water  in  the 
system,  upon  the  following  grounds:  From  the 
teachers'  attendance  books  at  the  two  Stuttgart 
High  Schools,,  I  made  a  note  of  all  cases  of  non- 
attendance  in  the  first  class,  taking  the  totals  for 
the  winter  months  from  the  year  1857  down  to  1874, 


io  Effects  of  Excess  of 

and  the  figures  are:  For  October,  159;  November, 
532;  December,  391  (but  considering  the  Christmas 
holidays,  a  corrected  estimate  should  bring  it  up 
to  at  least  500);  January,  682;  February,  896;  and 
March,  730.  As  non-attendances  at  school  are 
mainly  referable  to  chest  affections,  colds,  and  simi- 
lar complaints,  these  figures  show  that  liability  to 
colds  in  the  course  of  the  winter  is  gradually  aug- 
mented, and  reaches  its  highest  point  toward  the 
end  of  the  season.  In  winter  time  there  is  a  variety 
of  circumstances  likely  to  operate  in  increasing  the 
percentage  of  water  in  the  system;  there  is  less 
bodily  exercise;  the  thicker  clothing  is  less  pervious 
to  the  water  given  off  from  the  skin;  the  indoor  life 
in  the  stagnant  atmosphere  of  rooms  arrests  evap- 
oration; and  there  is  little  or  no  perspiration.  This 
and  other  inquiries  have  led  me  to  the  conclusion 
that  predisposition  to  colds  and  chills  is  due  to  ex- 
cess of  water  in  the  system,  and  that  the  term  to 
"  harden"  the  body  is  very  expressive.  The  bodily 
substance  must  be  made  hard  by  draining  from  it 
the  superfluous  water,  if  it  is  to  effectually  resist 
the  exciting  causes  of  colds  and  chills.  I  have  had 
an  instrument  constructed,  which  will  enable  me  to 
verify  statistically,  and  by  actual  experiment  with 
living  persons,  whether  my  surmise  on  this  head  be 
correct.*  In  addition  to  the  change  in  the  due 
proportions  of  the  bodily  constituents  just  des- 
cribed, there  supervenes  a  change  in  their  physical 
constitution.  The  most  vital  of  physical  properties 
is  the  excitability  of  nerve  and  muscle.  Upon  this 
depend  the  rapidity  of  bodily  and  mental  labor, 

*See  "  The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body,"  page  28. 


Fat  and  Water  in  the  Tissues.  1 1 

the  efficiency  of  the  organs  of  sense,  and  the  activity 
of  all  the  bodily  functions  in  relation  to  change  of 
substance,  and  the  phenomena  of  motion.  We 
have  already  seen  that  the  energy  of  the  bodily  tis- 
sues is  lessened  by  the  lodgment  of  water  and  fat, 
which  is  the  direct  consequence  of  a  sedentary  life, 
because  the  greater  part  of  the  body  remains  inert. 
That  disuse  decreases  the  measure  of  excitability, 
or  the  faculty  of  responding  to  a  stimulus,  is 
shown  in  cases  of  severed  nerves  and  paralyzed 
muscles. 

Another  physical  property  impaired  and  changed 
for  the  worse  by  insufficient  action  of  the  skin,  is 
the  elasticity  of  those  parts  of  the  body  which  are 
moved  by  the  nerves  and  the  muscles.  The  effect 
on  the  working  capacity  shows  itself  in  the  shape 
of  stiffness,  which  is  very  noticeable  in  animals  kept 
too  long  in  the  stable.  But  a  greater  evil  is  the 
loss  of  elasticity  in  the  blood-vessels  and  the  lungs, 
diminishing  the  capacity  for«work  and  the  power 
to  withstand  the  causes  of  disease.  Just  as  from 
long  disuse  a  gutta-percha  hose  will  lose  its  elas- 
ticity, turn  hard,  and  become  brittle,  so  also  will 
fare  the  blood-vessels  if  their  activity  be  not  main- 
tained by  the  free  exhalation  of  the  skin.  They 
can  no  longer  adequately  respond  to  the  varying 
necessities  of  the  blood-distribution,  required  to 
protect  against  the  causes  of  disease,  or  called  for 
by  changes  in  the  employment  of  the  body;  and  if 
in  the  end  the  vessels  become  so  as  easily  to  break, 
predisposition  to  apoplexy  is  established.  Dimin- 
ished functional  activity  of  the  vascular  system, 
and  of  the  lungs,  moreover,  is  mischievous  in  its 
effects  upon  the  proportions  of  the  constituents  of 


12  Undervests. 

the  body.  There  is  lessened  activity  in  the  inter- 
change and  restoration  of  matter,  leading  to  the 
accumulation  of  water  and  fat,  in  the  elimination 
of  which  the  above-named  organs  of  the  body  play 
a  very  important  part. 

UNDERVESTS. 

(1878.) 

T  AM  asked  to  express  my  opinion  of  the  well- 
known  network  undervests,  because  it  appears 
that  in  many  quarters  these  undervests  are  highly 
spoken  of,  and  are  recommended  in  preference  to 
the  Sanatory  Woolen  shirt. 

The  two  articles  of  clothing  can  hardly  be  com- 
pared. The  network  undervests  are  intended  to 
be  used  only  as  undervests,  and  their  action  will 
greatly  depend  upon  the  material  of  the  shirt  which 
Is  worn  over  them;  whereas  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
shirts  should  be  used. alone,  and  this  important  d-if- 
ference  must  be  taken  into  account  in  pronouncing 
judgment. 

The  case  stands  thus: 

If  a  linen  or  cotton  shirt  be  worn  with  an  under- 
vest,  the  network  is  preferable  to  a  flannel  under- 
vest.  But  if  it  be  asked  whether  linen  or  cotton 
shirts,  with  the  network  underneath,  should  be 
worn,  or  the  Sanatory  Woolen  shirt  by  itself ,  with- 
out other  outer  covering  than  the  coat,  unquestion- 
ably the  decision  must  be  given  in  favor  of  the 
latter  arrangement. 

This  opinion  is  founded  upon  a  careful  considera- 
tion of  the  services  which  the  clothing  should  render 
to  the  body.  Firstly,  it  is  required  to  keep  the  skin 


Undervests.  1 3 

uniformly  warm;  secondly,  to  offer  a  free  outlet  for 
cutaneous  evaporation,  which  mainly  consists  of 
watery  vapor;  thirdly,  gently  to  titillate  and  rub 
the  skin,  in  order  to  maintain  a  constant  and  ample 
blood  supply;  fourthly,  to  assist,  instead  of  hinder- 
ing, the  self-cleansing  process  of  the  skin,  which 
consists  in  the  shedding  of  the  outer  cuticle. 

We  will    now  inquire    how  far  the   methods  of 
clothing  in  question  satisfy  these  requirements. 

1.  Should    a    network   or  flannel    undervest   be 
worn   underneath  a  linen  or  cotton  shirt  ?     As  re- 
gards   the    first    requirement,  the    maintenance  of 
uniform  warmth,  there  is  hardly  any  difference;  but 
as  to  the  second,  the  escape  of  the  cutaneous  evap- 
oration, the  network  offers  decidedly  less  hindrance. 
The  air  under  the  clothing  can  circulate  outwards 
and  upwards  more  freely  than  when  a  flannel  under- 
vest is  worn,  as  not  only  are  the  open  spaces  of  the 
network  much  greater  than  the  interstices  of  the 
flannel,  but    they    are    also    too    large    to   become 
blocked  by  the  excretions  from  the  skin.    In  relation 
to  the  third  point,  there  is  no  material  difference, 
since  the  knots  of  the  network  and  the  minute  hairs 
of  the  flannel  supply  the  necessary  stimulus  for  the 
skin.      With   regard   to   the  fourth  requirement,  I 
should  say  that  the  network  is  preferable  to  flannel 
undervests,  because  the  latter  soon  become  sticky 
and  greasy  from  the  above-mentioned  condensation 
of  the  cutaneous  evaporation  into  water,  causing  the 
epidermal  scales,  which,  when  the  skin  is  dry,  drop, 
or  are  easily  rubbed  off,  to  adhere  to  the  body. 

2.  Which    is  better,  the  Sanatory  Woolen    shirt 
alone,  or  a  linen  or  cotton  shirt  with   a  network 
undervest?     In  relation  to  the  first  of  the  above 


14    The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

named  requirements,  the  maintenance  of  warmth  of 
the  skin,  linen  and  cotton  are  much  better  heat- 
conductors.  As  touching  the  second  point,  and  this 
is  the  most  important,  the  single  woolen  shirt  de- 
serves the  preference.  It  is  not  the  network  under- 
vest,  but  the  white  outer  shirt  which  prevents  the 
escape  of  cutaneous  evaporation,  on  account  of  its 
close  web  and  of  the  vegetable  nature  of  the  fiber 
(and  both  these  objections  apply  to  linen  with  even 
greater  force  than  to  cotton);  again,  the  starching  of 
the  white  shirt  front  renders  it  practically  imper- 
meable to  watery  vapor,  at  the  very  spot  where  the 
evaporation  could  most  easily  proceed — that  is,  at 
the  chest  and  neck. 

Hence,  the  superiority  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
shirt,  in  respect  of  the  last  of  the  four  above-named 
requirements,  is  clear.  By  dispensing  with  the 
practically  impermeable  white  shirt,  the  cutaneous 
vapor  is  no  longer  condensed,  and  the  skin  keeps 
dry,  so  that  the  scales  readily  come  away;  while  the 
countless  fine  hairy  points  of  the  wool  will  conduce 
to  the  cleansing  of  the  skin  far  more  comprehen- 
sively than  the  much  fewer  and  too  coarse  knots  or 
links  of  the  network. 

THE   CAUSES   OF   DISEASE,   AND 
DISEASE  GERMS. 

(1878.) 

T  HAVE  for  some  time  studied  the  subjects  indi- 
cated in  the  heading  of  the  present  paper,  par- 
ticularly with  a  view  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the 
liability  of  the  human  body  to  disease,  and  the 
means  by  which  it  may  be  steeled  to  effectually 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.    1 5 

withstand  external,  unhealthy  influences.  In  pro- 
fessional parlance,  the  result  of  this  power  of  resist- 
ance goes  by  the  name  of  "  immunity,"  and  in  the 
following  remarks  I  shall  make  occasional  use  of 
this  word  in  the  above  sense. 

My  inducement  to  revert  to  these  studies  is  a  re- 
markable coincidence  between  the  latest  outcome 
of  my  researches  and  the  investigations  prosecuted 
by  Professor  NAEGELI,  the  Munich  botanist,  on  the 
subject  of  the  most  important  group  of  the  external 
causes  of  disease — namely,  the  poisons  of  infection 
— on  which  he  has  published  a  book  entitled  Die 
niederen  Pilze  jn  ihrer  Beziehung  zu  den  Infektions- 
krankheiten* 

I  will  begin  with  an  account  of  my  own  discover- 
ies, to  be  followed  by  an  exposition  of  those  of 
Professor  NAEGELI.  My  attention  has  for  years 
been  especially  directed  to  that  particular  change 
in  the  condition  of  the  body  which  is  popularly 
called  training,  or  hardening.  The  problems  for 
solution  were  as  follows:  Wherein  does  this  change 
consist  ?  what  are  its  causes,  and  what  its  uses  ? 
Professional  works  supply  but  scanty  information 
on  these  points. 

The  first  result  of  my  studies  was,  that  in  the 
process  of  hardening  the  body  I  recognized  such  a 
change  in  the  relative  proportions  of  the  three  most 
important,  constituent  parts  of  the  tissues — albu- 
men, fat,  and  water — as  clearly  pointed  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  hardening  is  mainly  brought  about  by 
the  elimination  of  fat  and  water.  I  also  contrived 
to  obtain,  by  taking  the  specific  weight  of  the  body, 

*  "The  Subordinate  Fungi  or  Germs  in  their  relation  to  In- 
fectious Diseases." 


1 6    The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

numerical  values  expressing  in  figures  the  hitherto 
undefined  notion  embodied  in  the  term  "  hardened," 
or  "  in  good  condition."  As  water  and  fat  are  lighter 
substances  than  albumen,  it  follows  that  a  man  in 
good  condition  must  be  specifically  heavier  than  one 
in  a  weaker  condition,  and  this  has  been  determined 
beyond  doubt  by  measurement  and  weight.* 

Another  outcome  of  my  studies  was  a  clearer  per- 
ception of  the  circumstances  favoring  the  process 
of  hardening  the  body.  The  misconception  that 
this  consists  in  simply  inuring  the  body  to  cold  has 
wrought  much  evil  among  the  general  public.  I  have 
succeeded  in  determining  that  a  system  of  cloth- 
ing which  admits  of  the  free  escape  of  the  watery 
vapor  given  off  by  the  skin  tends  to  harden  the 
body,  while  clothing  likely  to  check  the  elimination 
of  water  from  the  tissues  is  enervating. 

The  process  of  hardening  the  body  consists  in  the 
gain  of  firmer  and  more  compact  flesh,  richer  in 
albumen,  and  freer  from  fat  and  water.  I  believe  it 
to  admit  of  no  further  doubt  that  this  is  synonymous 
with  an  increase  of  the  power  of  the  body  to  with- 
stand the  action  of  morbific  influences,  and  that, 
consequently,  the  current  conception  of  florid,  ex- 
uberant health  is  altogether  erroneous.  The  health- 
iest people  are  endowed  with  tough,  wiry,  firm- 
fleshed,  and  well-knit  frames,  and  such  subjects 
withstand  much  better  not  only  climatic  changes, 
but  also  those  inflammatory  affections  which  are 
engendered  by  the  intrusion  of  living  disease  germs 
into  the  human  body. 

Shortly  before  I  had  thoroughly  possessed  myself 

*  See  "  The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body,"  page  28. 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.     1 7 

of  these  facts,  there  appeared  the  above-named  work 
by  Professor  NAEGELI,  containing  disclosures  so 
noteworthy  on  the  subject  of  the  so-called  infectious 
diseases,  that  I  at  once  formed  the  design  of  com- 
municating some  of  its  leading  features  to  my  read- 
ers, without,  however,  then  suspecting  into  what 
intimate  relation  NAEGELI'S  researches  might  come 
with  my  own. 

To  Professor  PETTENKOFER,  of  Munich,  pertains 
the  merit  of  the  discovery  that  the  germs  of  infec- 
tion in  cholera  and  typhus  (nervous  fever)  find  a 
dwelling-place  in  the  underground  water-passages 
into  which  wells  are  sunk  ;  that  in  such  localities 
they  will  not  only  exist,  but  multiply;  and  that  from 
this  base  of  operations  they  carry  out  the  work  of 
infection  by  finding  ways  to  reach  the  human  body. 
He  was  the  first  to  promulgate  the  fact,  since  ex- 
tensively confirmed  by  others,  that  the  risk  of  in- 
fection increases  when  the  level  of  underground 
water  is  lowered,  and  conversely  that  the  danger 
diminishes  as  the  water  rises.  This  harmonizes 
with  the  fact  that  intermittent  fever,  which  is  gener- 
ated in  marshy  surfaces,  makes  its  appearance  with 
augmented  frequency  when  the  sinking  of  the  water- 
level  lays  bare  more  extended  tracts  of  marshy 
surface,  thus  allowing  the  unquestionably  animate 
germs  to  rise  in  the  air. 

On  this  so-called  underground-water  theory  of 
PETTENKOFER'S,  NAEGELI  grafts  his  observations. 
From  a  series  of  experiments  carried  on  for  a  period 
of  nine  years  with  the  subordinate  fungi,  or  germs, 
he  is  led  not  only  to  adopt,  but  to  enforce  with 
fresh  and  convincing  arguments,  the  opinion  long 
ago  expressed  by  other  observers,  that  the  germs  of 


1 8     The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

infection  in  the  above-named  maladies  belong  to 
the  same  group  of  living  organisms  as  the  familiar 
ferment  of  putrescence — that  is,  to  the  group  of 
bacteria  which  are  so  exceedingly  minute  that,  ac- 
cording to  NAEGELI,  30,000  milliards  of  them  make 
up  the  weight  of  one  gramme. 

That  certain  soils,  such  as  that  of  Munich,  are 
especially  productive  of  typhus,  is  explained  by 
NAEGELI,  taking  PETTENKOFER'S  views  into  account, 
in  this  wise: 

"  The  first  condition  of  a  malarious  soil,  breeding 
endemic  and  epidemic  maladies,  is  underground 
water,  lying  not  too  far  from  the  surface,  with  alter- 
nate rise  and  subsidence  of  level,  resulting  in  alter- 
nations of  wet  and  dry  strata.  When  these  strata 
become  dry,  the  germs  cling  to  the  earth,  and  where 
the  soil  is  light  and  the  air  follows  the  subsiding 
level  of  underground  water,  the  germs  pervade  this 
underground  atmosphere,  and  if  there  be  an  issue 
towards  the  surface  they  will  rise  through  it  into 
the  open  air." 

He  shows  very  clearly  that  this  underground  air 
is  attracted  into  houses  by  the  suction  of  the  fires 
in  the  kitchen  and  other  rooms;  and  he  adds  that 
the  best-warmed  rooms  are  the  most  dangerous. 
Professor  NAEGELI  therefore  sets  his  face  against 
heated  bedrooms  at  night,  and  even  suggests  that 
by  heating  some  other  unoccupied  room  at  night 
the  course  of  the  germs  may  be  diverted  from  the 
sleeping-rooms. 

But  it  appears  that  the  germs  cannot  rise  with 
the  underground  air  whenever  the  stratum  of  earth 
containing  them  has  again  become  wet,  either  by  a 
fall  of  rain  from  above  or  by  the  elevation  of  the 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.     19 

underground  water-level.  The  germs  will  then 
cling  to  the  ground  so  firmly  that  not  even  a  power- 
ful current  of  air  avails  to  detach  them. 

Two  remedies  are  suggested  for  this  chief  cause 
of  an  epidemic  soil:  the  complete  removal  of  the 
underground  water,  or  at  any  rate  its  relegation  in- 
to lower  depths  ;  or,  if  this  be  impracticable,  the 
maintenance  of  a  constantly  uniform  surface-level 
of  the  underground  water. 

To  guard  against  the  penetration  of  air  ascending 
from  epidemic  soil,  Professor  NAEGELI  recommends 
cementing  the  cellar  floors  and  walls,  and  the  ground 
floor;  and,  as  the  underground  air  not  only  rises 
into  the  interior  of  houses,  but  makes  its  way 
through  the  walls  as  well,  he  further  suggests  an 
air-tight  outer  casing  for  the  foundation  walls. 
Finally,  with  regard  to  the  constitution  of  the  soil, 
the  danger  will  increase  with  the  degree  of  its 
porosity  or  capacity  for  holding  underground  air, 
and  of  its  readiness  to  dry.  Hence  firm  clay  soils 
are  exempt  from  infection,  while  the  most  unhealthy 
soils  are  those  consisting  of  gravel  and  coarse  sand 
intermingled,  like  the  Munich  soil. 

Professor  NAEGELI'S  experiments,  which  extended 
over  a  period  of  years,  on  the  conditions  of  the 
generation  and  growth  of  the  subordinate  fungi  or 
germs,  have  led  him  to  the  conclusion  that  these 
fungi  require  as  nutrient  elements  of  existence 
certain  substances  which  are  soluble  in  water.  But 
they  can  live  only  on  condition  that  the  pabulum  so 
formed  shall  consist  of  certain  proportions  of  water 
and  food  materials — in  other  words,  provided  that 
the  solution  has  the  required  degree  of  concentra- 
tion. Here  we  need  only  consider  the  effect  of  an 


2o    The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

augmentation  of  this  degree,  and  I  shall  adduce  a 
few  familiar  examples  by  way  of  illustration. 

The  fermentation  of  wine  must,  fruit-juices, 
brewers'  mash,  etc.,  is  effected  by  means  of  the  fun- 
gus familiarly  known  as  "  barm,"  or  "  yeast."  This 
process  of  fermentation  may  be  checked  by  simply 
withdrawing  some  of  the  water  from  these  juices, — 
that  is,  by  thickening  the  liquor, — when  fermenta- 
tion will  cease,  because  the  germs  cannot  subsist  in 
this  excessive  proportion  of  the  nutrient  material — 
i.e.,  in  this  case,  of  the  sugar.  A  similar  effect  is  pro- 
duced(  if,  instead  of  drawing  off  water,  the  quantity 
of  sugar  be  increased. 

The  same  applies  to  the  germs  of  putrescence. 
To  prevent  the  tainting  or  putrefaction  of  meat, 
some  of  the  water  is  withdrawn  from  the  juices, 
which  are  thereby  thickened.  The  degree  of  con- 
centration under  which  the  germs  lose  their  poten- 
tiality for  decomposition  and  dissemination  is  not 
equally  high  with  all  the  species.  Professor  N  AEGELI 
divides  them  into  three  classes  in  this  respect  :  the 
bacteria,  to  which  belong  the  ferment  of  putrescence 
and  the  germs  of  disease;  the  yeast  fungi,  the  most 
familiar  among  which  are  the  brewers'  yeast  and 
the  vinous  ferment;  and  the  fungi  which  produce 
what  is  called  mildew. 

Now, between  these  three  cases  it  should  be  noticed 
that,  while  the  yeast  fungi  need  and  bear  a  higher 
degree  of  concentration  than  the  bacteria,  they  are 
in  this  particular  far  surpassed  by  the  mildew  fungi. 
For  instance,  a  moderate  drying  will  stay  putre- 
faction of  meat  ;  but  to  prevent  mildew,  a  mucli 
higher  degree  of  desiccation  is  necessary.  A  com- 
parison between  the  germs  which  cause  mildew  and 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.    2 1 

fermentation  may  be  instituted  by  reference  to  fruit- 
juices  and  preserved  fruits.  Moderate  thickening 
will  suffice  to  check  fermentation,  but  to  guard 
absolutely  against  mildew  the  thickening  process 
must  be  carried  much  further. 

Any  substance  which  germs  are  unable  to  use  as 
aliment  becomes  injurious  to  their  existence  when 
it  has  attained  a  certain  degree  of  concentration. 
This  point  is  of  great  importance  in  its  application 
to  what  is  called  disinfection,  and  NAEGELI  points 
out  that  insufficient  disinfection,  as  of  cesspools,  for 
instance,  involves  much  more  risk  than  the  total 
neglect  of  it. 

He  says:  "  If  germs  derived  from  cholera,  dysen- 
tery, and  typhus  cases  find  their  way  into  cesspools, 
they  will  only  retain  their  specific  nature  for  a  short 
time;  thereafter  they  either  die  or  lose  their  infec- 
tious properties.  On  the  other  hand,  the  conse- 
quence of  insufficient  disinfection — />.,  of  disinfec- 
tion short  of  the  degree  of  concentration  that  kills 
— is,  that  morbific  fungi  will  continue  to  germinate 
and  ferment,  while  at  the  same  time,  and  for  that 
very  reason,  they  will  preserve  their  specific  nature 
of  infection.  Such  inadequate  disinfection,  there- 
fore, is  tantamount  to  preserving  the  germs,  whose 
infectious  quality  is  revived  when  they,  through  in- 
sufficient disinfection,  emerge  into  the  upper  air, 
and  make  their  way  into  the  human  body." 

The  most  interesting  of  Professor  NAEGELI'S  ob- 
servations is  that  there  occurs  a  struggle  for  existence 
between  the  different  species  of  the  germs  when  they 
come  into  contact  in  a  nutrient  solution.  Not  only 
does  this  explain  the  connection  between  the  proc- 
ess of  bodily  hardening  and  the  power  of  resisting 


22     The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

epidemic  attacks,  but  also  many  phenomena  attend- 
ing the  fermentation  of  liquors;  and  on  that  account 
I  am  induced  to  dwell  at  somewhat  greater  length 
upon  the  subject,  quoting  NAEGELI'S  own  words: 

"It  was  formerly  assumed  that  any  plant  will  be 
found  wherever  climate  and  soil  favor  growth, 
provided  that  seed  had  previously  reached  such 
spots.  Now,  however,  we  know  that  this  depends 
quite  as  much  upon  its  surrounding  fellow-plants, 
and  that  in  particular  the  most  closely  allied  species 
will  exert  a  decisive  influence.  Many  species  can 
grow  in  certain  localities  only  if  others  ranking  in 
the  same  genus  be  wanting.  For  instance,  the  rusty- 
looking  Alpenrose  thrives  well  in  calcareous  soil,  but 
only  when  the  hairy  Alpenrose  is  absent.  If  the 
latter  be  present,  it  will  utterly  exterminate  the 
former.  The  like  holds  good  of  the  two  primrose 
species  found  upon  more  or  less  damp  grounds." 

(I  may  add  that  the  most  familiar  amongst  these 
plant  struggles  are  those  occurring  between  useful 
growths  and  weeds.) 

"The  same  law  governs  the  lower  fungi.  One 
genus,  which  under  given  circumstances  will  thrive 
well,  is  exterminated  by  another  genus  which  here 
appears  the  more  favored  plant;  whereas  the  former, 
under  differing  conditions,  is  strong  enough  toexpel 
the  latter.  Inattention  to  this  fact  has  given  rise  to 
many  erroneous  assertions  respecting  antiseptics." 

To  render  these  phenomena  more  intelligible,  I 
will  adduce  an  example.  If  germs  of  putrefaction, 
or  fermentation,  and  of  mildew  be  placed  in  certain 
saccharine  solutions  having  a  neutral  reaction  (that 
is,  neither  acid  nor  alkaline),  only  the  first-named 
will  multiply,  setting  up  lacteous  fermentation.  But 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.    2  3 

if  to  the  same  solution  be  added  a  half  per  cent  of 
acetic  acid,  the  germs  of  fermentation  alone  will 
multiply  and  cause  vinous  fermentation,  whence  it 
comes  that  must,  containing  too  little  acid,  will  turn 
sour;  and  if,  finally,  4  or  5  per  cent  of  tartaric  acid 
be  put  into  the  same  solution,  only  mildew  fungi 
will  be  produced. 

It  would  be  wrong  to  conclude  from  these  facts, 
which  infallibly  recur  on  every  occasion,  that  a  half 
per  cent  of  acid  prevents  putrefaction,  and  4  to  5 
per  cent  prevents  fermentation  ;  for  the  germs  of 
putrefaction  will  actively  multiply  in  the  same 
nutrient  solution  with  an  additional  i^  per  cent 
of  tartaric  acid,  provided  they  be  not  exterminated  by 
the  germs  of  fermentation. 

I  may  explain  that  must,  or  unfermented  new 
wine,  without  acid  would  unquestionably  turn  sour, 
and  a  rather  large  proportion  of  acid  would  be 
needed  to  prevent  the  souring  of  the  wine;  but  if, 
on  the  other  hand,  vinous  ferment  be  added,  the 
latter  will  gain  the  advantage,  even  with  a  low  per- 
centage of  acid. 

Professor  NAEGELI  then  goes  on  to  show  that  the 
strength  of  individual  numbers  also  exercises  a 
decisive  influence  in  the  struggle.  It  would  appear 
that  when  one  kind  of  germs  takes  possession  of  a 
solution  in  great  numerical  strength,  it  will  van- 
quish its  adversary,  if  the  latter  be  in  a  minority, 
under  conditions  that  would  insure  its  own  defeat 
were  it  deficient  in  numbers  itself.  This  we  see  in 
unfermented  wine  and  brewers'  mash;  to  prevent 
them  from  souring,  yeast  is  needed  in  such  quan- 
tity that  it  may  retain  the  mastery  over  the  ever- 
intruding  germs  of  the  acetous  ferment.  With  a 


24    The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

knowledge  of  these  facts  we  can  explain  the  rela- 
tion of  the  body  to  the  germs  of  disease. 

The  following  is  the  fourth  instructive  discovery 
of  Professor  NAEGELI  respecting  the  subordinate 
fermenting  fungi.  Each  species  excretes  certain 
elements,  which,  as  a  rule,  are  entirely  characteris- 
tic of  itself.  Thus,  vinous  ferment  and  brewers' 
yeast  throw  off,  as  a  special  excretion,  tartaric  acid; 
the  "  mother  of  vinegar,"  vinegar;  the  rennet  or 
lactous  ferments,  lactic  acid;  other  ferments  bu- 
tyric acid,  and  the  ferment  of  putrescence  the  well- 
known  offensive  effluvia. 

It  may  be  observed  of  these  excretions,  that  they 
imperil  the  existence  of  the  germs  themselves 
whenever  they  accumulate  beyond  a  certain  per- 
centage in  the  solution  which  the  latter  inhabit. 

Thus,  for  instance,  fermentation  will  cease  in 
must-liquor  very  highly  charged  with  sugar,  when 
the  percentage  of  alcohol  has  attained  certain  given 
limits,  even  though  there  should  still  be  a  suffi- 
ciency of  fermenting  material — that  is  to  say,  of 
sugar — unless  by  exposing  the  solution  to  the  air 
the  notoriously  volatile  tartaric  acid  is  allowed  to 
escape. 

The  same  applies  to  decomposition.  In  open 
cesspools  putrefaction  proceeds  until  all  the  mate- 
rial matter  is  resolved,  because  the  offensive  excre- 
tions of  the  fungi  escape;  but  when  a  cesspool, 
fosse,  or  ditch  is  kept  closely  shut  down, — of  this  I 
myself  have  had  manifold  experience  with  putres- 
cent  sea-water  and  decaying  carcasses, — the  proc- 
ess of  decomposition  is  completely  arrested,  as  fer- 
mentation would  be  in  a  well-corked  bottle. 

NAEGELI  especially  addresses  himself  in  his  book 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.    25 

to  the  task  of  determining  from  his  experiments 
what  preventive  measures  should  be  adopted  with 
reference  to  the  morbific  germs  existing  elsewhere 
than  in  the  body;  but  of  this  question  I  shall  not 
speak  now.  He  only  explains  part  of  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  relations  of  these  germs  to  the  liv- 
ing body,  although  he  might  certainly  have  eluci- 
dated the  whole  problem  from  his  experience  of 
them  in  inert  solutions. 

What  NAEGELI  correctly  apprehended  is  shown 
when  he  gives,  as  an  illustration  of  the  relation  of 
these  germs  to  the  living  body,  the  case  where,  in 
his  experiments,  two  different  kinds  of  germs  came 
into  conflict  in  one  nutrient  solution. 

This  bears  directly  upon  the  contest  between  the 
germs  and  the  living  tissues  of  the  human  body, 
which  begins  in  a  nutrient  solution  suited  to  both 
the  combatants  alike;  and  very  important  is  NAE- 
GELI'S  assertion  that  the  contest  turns  upon  num- 
bers. Therefore  since  the  number  of  the  bodily 
tissues  concerned  is  a  fixed  quantity,  it  will  depend 
upon  the  numerical  strength  of  the  germs  whether 
they  will  set  up  disease. 

The  assault  may  be  so  overwhelming  that  the 
body  will  infallibly  succumb;  but  even  the  most 
dangerous  germs  of  infection  are  powerless  for  evil 
if  the  attack  be  commenced  by  an  insufficient  num- 
ber. NAEGELI  rightly  says  that  until  he  made  this 
discovery  he  had  altogether  doubted  that  the  infect- 
ing matter  could  consist  of  live  organisms,  for  he 
reasoned  as  follows: 

"  One  such  germ  in  a  sufficiently  nutrient  solu- 
tion, which  the  human  bfedy  usually  affords,  can 
propagate  100,000  individuals  within  seven  or  eight 
3 


26     The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs. 

hours,  and  would  thus  infallibly  induce  disease. 
Yet  this  cannot  be  the  case,  or  we  should  be  driven 
to  the  impossible  conclusion  that  during  an  epi- 
demic of  cholera  or  typhus  fever  those  that  sick- 
ened had  alone  inhaled  or  swallowed  these  tiny 
microscopic  germs,  while  all  other  members  of  the 
community  had  not." 

The  fact  that,  during  the  prevalence  of  an  epi- 
demic, one  section  of  the  inhabitants  enjoys  good 
health,  another  feels  but  slightly  affected,  a  third 
sickens  more  seriously,  while  a  fourth  section  dies, 
some  speedily,  others  after  protracted  illness,  is 
ascribed  by  Professor  NAEGELI  to  the  varying 
strength  of  the  infection;  but  he  does  not  take  into 
account  that  it  must  also  depend  upon  the  con- 
dition of  the  body  and  its  juices,  as  to  which  of  the 
two  combatants  in  the  struggle  shall  gain  the  vic- 
tory. In  this  direction  he  touches  upon  the  famil- 
iar experience  that  a  person  once  attacked  by 
small-pox,  scarlet  fever,  typhus,  etc.,  will  for  a 
greater  or  less  subsequent  interval  of  time  enjoy 
immunity  from  those  disorders.  In  this,  as  we 
shall  see,  he  is  correct,  without,  however,  hitting 
the  mark  as  accurately  as  he  might  have  done  from 
the  knowledge  gained  in  his  experiments  with 
germs  elsewhere  than  in  the  body. 

Researches  prosecuted  for  many  years  having 
long  ago  convinced  me  that  an  inordinate  percent- 
age of  water  in  the  body  will  intensify  liability  to 
sickness,  I  at  once  recognized  in  NAEGELI'S  dis, 
coveries  the  true  explanation  of  the  fact  ascer, 
tained  by  me,  that  seasoned  soldiers  enjoy  greater 
immunity  from  infection  than  men  less  far  ad- 
vanced in  the  term  of  army  service.  Strong  and 


The  Causes  of  Disease,  and  Disease  Germs.    27 

sustained  bodily  exercise  stimulates  the  activity 
of  the  skin,  draining  the  water  out  of  the  body 
— that  is,  it  reduces  or  thickens  the  mass  of  the 
bodily  juices. 

In  times  of  infection  this  of  itself  is  an  advan- 
tage for  the  living  tissues  of  the  body,  because  the 
firmer  these  are  set,  the  greater  will  be  the  energy 
of  the  vital  forces  for  the  struggle  with  the  germs 
of  infection,  which  are  weakened  in  proportion  as 
the  degree  of  concentration  of  the  bodily  juices  is 
raised.  Hence  a  comparatively  small  difference  in 
the  percentage  of  water  in  the  body  may  decide 
the  issue  in  the  struggle  of  the  latter  against  the 
germs  of  infection. 

What  may  therefore  be  learnt  from  these  dis- 
coveries as  applicable  to  infectious  diseases  ? 

That  the  latter  take  root  in  that  effete  bodily 
condition  which  is  the  consequence  of  an  irrational 
manner  of  living.  I  have  examined  from  this  point 
of  view  whatever  is  known  respecting  all  kinds  of 
epidemics,  and  everything  confirms  this.  Were  it 
customary  to  live  according  to  the  dictates  of  rea- 
son, to  steel,  harden,  and  temper  the  body,  we 
should  be  as  exempt  from  epidemic  disease  as  are 
animals  living  in  the  open  air. 

Destructive  infantile  disorders,  like  scarlatina, 
measles,  and  quinsy,  are  emphatically  maladies  of 
enervation  and  enfeeblement.  The  prevalent  irra- 
tional treatment  of  children,  not  only  in  their  in- 
fancy, but  also  during  the  school  years,  is  re- 
sponsible for  these  disorders. 


28  The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body. 

THE   SPECIFIC   GRAVITY   OF   THE    BODY. 

(1878.) 

'"THE  discovery  that  a  superfluity  of  tissue  water 
in  the  body  materially  increases  its  liability  to 
sicken  from  infectious  disease  became  a  keystone 
for  my  studies  on  "  Strength  of  Constitution,"  a 
term  which  includes  the  question  of  greater  or 
lesser  liability  to  sickness,  as  well  as  that  of  the 
working  capacity.  Not  only  did  it  now  clearly  ap- 
pear upon  what  strength  of  constitution  is  based, 
and  by  what  means  it  may  be  enhanced,  but  also 
that  it  can  with  a  large  degree  of  certainty  be  esti- 
mated by  measurement. 

In  compiling  a  tabulated  statement  of  measure- 
ments of  soldiers,  for  the  purpose  of  calculating 
the  averages  of  health  for  each  of  the  three  years 
of  army  service,  I  had  at  first  no  suspicion  of  the 
astounding  result  obtained  by  the  computation  of 
the  weight  per  liter  (quart)  volume  of  the  indi- 
vidual soldier  ;  indeed  I  feel  satisfied  that  no  pro- 
fessional man  would  have  expected  to  find  so  great 
variation. 

The  smallest  liter-weight  among  the  sixty-five 
men  measured  amounted  to  764,  the  highest  to 
1,060  grams,*  a  difference  of  almost  40  per  cent. 
If  in  these  two  extreme  cases  the  men  were  equally 
tall  and  stout — that  is,  of  quite  the  same  bulk,  say 
70  liters — the  light  man  would  weigh  118  Ibs.,  the 
heavy  man  159^  Ibs.,  so  that  the  latter  would  be 
heavier  by  41-^  Ibs.  The  difference  is  the  more  sur- 

*  1,000  grams  =  i  kilo  =  about  2^  Ibs. 


The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body.  29 

prising,  if  we  take  into  account  that  these  two  men 
were  almost  of  the  same  age,  varying  only  by  one 
year  ;  that  the  light  man  was  by  no  means  a  sickly, 
feeble  subject,  but  apparently  so  healthy  and  strong 
that  no  objection  had  been  raised  to  his  admission 
into  the  army.  Still  greater  differences  will  be 
found  if  the  specific  gravity  of  people  of  the  lowest 
constitutional  vigor  could  be  measured. 

If  the  differences  in  the  weight  of  the  liter  vol- 
ume of  the  strong  and  the  weak  amounted  merely 
to  a  fractional  percentage,  they  might  be  regarded 
as  a  curious  scientific  discovery  of  no  practical  im- 
portance. But  the  case  stands  otherwise. 

An  instrument  is  required  which  will  determine, 
at  least  with  approximate  accuracy,  the  bodily  bulk. 
A  method  of  testing  the  bodily  condition  would 
then  be  supplied,  which  in  point  of  accuracy,  and 
diversity  of  application,  would  far  surpass  any  that 
has  hitherto  been  devised.  Now  such  an  instru- 
ment can  certainly  be  constructed,  but  not  by  a 
scientific  man  without  the  necessary  means,  except 
at  the  public  cost.  The  simplest  way  of  ascertain- 
ing the  bulk  of  the  body  is  by  its  immersion  in 
water,  but  this  method  is  cumbersome  and  incon- 
venient, and  is  impracticable  with  invalids,  females, 
etc.  As  against  the  above  method,  the  following 
apparatus  is  worthy  of  consideration.  It  consists 
of  an  inclosed  air-tight  chamber,  connected  on  the 
one  hand  with  an  air-gauge,  and  on  the  other  with 
a  second  chamber,  the  air  in  which  can  be  forced 
into  the  first-named  chamber.  If  the  first  chamber 
contains  nothing  but  air,  the  air  forced  into  it  from 
the  second  chamber  will  raise  the  column  of  mer- 
cury in  the  gauge  up  to  a  certain  point.  By  intro- 


30  The  Specific  (Gravity  of  the  Body. 

ducing  a  compact  body  into  the  first  chamber,  and 
thus  displacing  the  air,  the  column  of  mercury  will 
be  made  to  rise  above  the  level  previously  attained, 
in  proportion  to  the  greater  bulk  of  the  body  in- 
truded. Consequently  the  bulk  can  be  correctly 
estimated  from  the  height  of  the  column  of  mercury. 
And  if  the  body  be  subsequently  weighed,  the  divis- 
ion of  the  weight  by  the  number  of  volumes  (liters) 
will  give  the  weight  of  each  liter. 

Small  instruments  of  this  kind  already  exist,  but 
the  problem  is  to  build  an  apparatus  large  enough 
in  dimensions  to  admit  an  adult.  The  cost  would 
not  be  great,  and  the  money  would  be  well  expended, 
as  I  shall  show. 

The  question  now  arises  respecting  which  prop- 
erties of  the  body  will  the  determination  of  its 
weight  per  unit  of  capacity  (liter)  afford  informa- 
tion. The  answer  must  be  sought  in  a  consideration 
of  the  parts  which  the  various  bodily  constituents 
that  are  weighed  play  in  the  production  of  vital 
phenomena. 

The  lightest  bodily  substance,  if  we  put  aside  air, 
is  the  fat,  with  a  liter-weight  of  937  grams.  Im- 
portant as  an  element  of  nutrition,  it  becomes  in- 
jurious when  present  in  excess,  causing  a  diminution 
in  the  quantity  of  blood,  and  impeding  the  circula- 
tion, while  its  decomposition  evolves  an  abnormal 
amount  of  heat.  Corpulent  people  are  incapacitated 
for  strenuous  work,  because  they  so  rapidly  become 
heated;  and  if  overtaken  with  illness  they  readily 
develop  strong  feverish  symptoms. 

Next  to  fat,  water  presents  the  lowest  liter-weight, 
namely,  1,000  grams.  Some  of  the  injurious  ef- 
fects of  an  excess  of  water  in  the  body  have  already 


The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body.  3 1 

been  explained,  but  I  will  recapitulate  the  most  im- 
portant points: 

1.  Superfluous  water  renders  all  the  tissues  flabby, 
and  diminishes  their  power  of  resisting  mechanical 
strain.     They  become  more  brittle,  as  regards  the 
bones,  are  more  easily  lacerated  and  distended, and 
the  natural  coalition  of  the  organs  suffers.     Thus 
bone    fractures,   dislocations,    bruises,    lacerations, 
twisting  of  the   intestines,  etc.,  and  the   intrusion 
into  the  system  of  alien  matters,  including  the  germs 
of  infection,  will  more  readily  take  place.     These 
diminish  the  capacity  for  strenuous  labor,  and  con- 
stitute so  many  extra  risks  of  sickness. 

2.  Excess  of  water  in  the  muscles  has  a  disabling 
effect,  imparting  a  feeling  of  lassitude  ;  a  watery 
muscle  is  feeble,  and  tires  quickly. 

3.  Excess  of  water  in  the  tissues  is  particularly 
injurious  in  its  action  upon  the  nervous  system.    It 
heightens  the  sensibility  of  the  nerves,  so  that  tri- 
fling influences  produce  painful  and  morbid  excite- 
ment.   Persons  thus  affected  easily  catch  cold,  suffer 
from  nervous  irritability,  and  in  short  are  exposed 
to  all  disturbances  of  the  nervous   system.     More- 
over, excess  of  water  in  the  nerves  becomes  a  hin- 
drance to  the  transmission  of  their  excitation,  which 
is  bad  in  every  way;  for  it  increases  the  liability  to 
sickness,  while    lessening    the    capacity   for   work, 
particularly  mental  work.     The  flow  of  thought  in 
the  brain  is  obstructed,  reflection  becomes  difficult, 
sluggish,  less  comprehensive,  and  the  memory  fails. 
There  is  a  form  of  idiocy,  in  which  the  brain  cavi- 
ties hold  abnormal  quantites  of  free  water;  but  an 
excess  of  water  permeating  the   brain    substance 
will  of  itself  induce  dullness. 


32          -  The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body. 

4.  The  injurious  effect  of  an  excess  of  water  in 
the  blood  and  other  bodily  juices  can  be  inferred 
from  what  has  been  stated  in  a  preceding  essay  on 
the  subject  of  liability  to  infection  from  disease 
germs.  A  watery  condition  of  the  stomach  and 
bowels  favors  the  propagation  of  the  seeds  of  infec- 
tion in  the  primcz  via,  or  alimentary  canal,  so  that 
the  germs  of  cholera,  or  dysentery,  or  probably  of 
mucous  fever,  are  enabled  to  make  a  general  attack 
against  the  body,  and  will  more  readily  ferment  if 
the  bodily  juices  be  watery. 

While  certain  quantities  of  water  and  fat  are 
necessary  to  the  existence  of  the  human  body,  any 
excess  above  the  indispensable  proportion  is  detri- 
mental. But  since  every  other  constituent  of  the 
human  body  is  specifically  heavier  than  the  water 
and  the  fat,  a  body  which  possesses  these  in  an  ex- 
cessive quantity  must  be  specifically  lighter  than 
one  normally  constituted;  so  that  a  man  of  inferior 
specific  gravity  will  be  less  fit  for  work,  both  physi- 
cal and  mental,  and  less  capable  of  withstanding 
morbific  influences  of  every  kind. 

The  conclusion,  based  upon  the  nature  and  influ- 
ence of  the  lighter  bodily  constituents  (water  and 
fat)  that  the  low  liter-volume  of  the  living  body  is 
an  unfavorable  sign  of  its  condition,  is  confirmed 
when  the  heavier  elements  are  considered. 

I  have  ascertained  by  experiments  that  thorough- 
ly dried  muscular  flesh  has  a  liter-volume  of  1,357 
grams  (water  1,000,  and  fat  937).  Now  we  know, 
beyond  a  doubt,  that  the  actual  working  substances 
in  every  living  tissue  are  those  which  remain  after 
drying — />.,  the  so-called  albuminous  substances, 
and  the  salts  alwavs  found  in  combination  there- 


The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body.  33 

with.  The  more  plentiful  the  supply  of  such  sub- 
stances in  the  living  tissue,  the  more  energetic  are 
its  vital  manifestations.  A  muscle,  for  instance, 
will  be  firmer  and  more  powerful  in  proportion  to 
its  solid  constituent  parts,  and  the  same  applies  to 
the  energy  and  rapidity  of  its  contractions.  The 
larger  the  amount  of  solid  constituents  in  the  brain 
and  general  nervous  system  the  more  energetic  will 
be  their  manifestations.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
the  intestines,  etc.  Chemical  experiments  show 
that  the  mass  of  solid  residue  in  the  tissues  may 
present  very  considerable  divergence  (as  much  as  32 
per  cent),  and  thus  it  is  quite  intelligible  that  a 
strong  person,  thoroughly  fit  for  work,  should  ex- 
hibit a  much  higher  specific  gravity  than  a  weak, 
sickly  person. 

Lastly,  a  cardinal  point  is  the  quantity  of  bone- 
earth  or  phosphate  of  lime.  Of  all  the  elements 
largely  entering  into  the  constitution  of  the  body, 
this  is  the  heaviest,  namely,  3,180  grams  per  liter- 
volume.  It  is  well  known  that  the  robust  possess 
strong,  compact  bones,  while  the  weak  have  delicate 
and  light  ones.  The  more  energetically  a  man 
works,  the  more  powerful  become  his  bones — that 
is,  firstly,  they  increase  in  length  and  thickness  ; 
secondly,  the  protuberances  to  which  the  muscles 
grow  become  enlarged;  lastly,  not  only  does  the 
bone  substance  accumulate  material,  but  it  hardens 
and  acquires  a  higher  specific  gravity.  We  see  this 
in  animals;  the  bones  of  the  domesticated  hog  or 
cow,  which  takes  little  exercise,  are  spongy  and 
brittle,  while  the  bones  of  the  same  animals  in  a 
wild  state  are  extraordinarily  hard,  compact,  and 
heavy.  The  following  illustration  will  make  this 


34  The  Specific  Gravity  of  the  Body. 

easier  to  be  understood.  If  coal  or  wood  be  con- 
sumed in  a  stove,  the  products  of  the  fuel  will  be 
of  two  kinds — the  gases  that  escape  through  the 
chimney,  and  the  ashes  which  drop  into  the  ash-box. 
The  quantity  of  ashes  collected  will  show  what 
amount  of  work  the  stove  has  done.  The  process 
in  the  body  is  analogous:  the  more  the  bodyworks, 
the  more  nourishment  will  it  use  up,  giving  rise  to 
substances  (such  as  carbonic  acid,  water,  and  urea) 
that  quit  the  body,  and  yielding  ashes,  which  the 
body  retains,  in  the  form  of  bone-earth.  The  bones 
collect  the  ashes,  and  the  larger  their  store  the 
greater  has  been  the  amount  of  work  performed  by 
the  body.  Hence  old  people  have  a  larger  store  of 
bone-earth  than  young  persons;  but  if  of  two  indi- 
viduals of  equal  age  one  possesses  more  bone-earth 
than  the  other,  it  will  be  an  unmistakable  sign  that 
the  former  has  done  more  work  than  the  latter, 
either  from  superior  diligence  or  the  force  of  cir- 
cumstances. Thus  the  specific  gravity  of  a  man 
shows  whether  he  is  active  and  accustomed  to  labor 
or  not. 

These  considerations  are  of  importance  in  their 
application,  both  to  the  practice  of  medicine  and  to 
health-culture.  On  the  latter  point  they  lend  ad- 
ditional weight  to  the  arguments  with  which  I  have 
repeatedly  sought  to  enforce  my  sense  of  the  value 
of  hardening  the  body  by  the  promotion  of  the  ac- 
tivity of  the  skin,  the  thorough  ventilation  of  rooms, 
etc.;  because  it  is  now  obvious  that  these  measures 
not  merely  afford  protection  against  colds  and  chest 
complaints,  but  also  operate  as  preventives  against 
epidemic  contagion. 

In  this  discovery  there  is  much  that  is  reassuring; 


The  Sanatory  Coat.  35 

for,  having  regard  to  the  enormous  difficulty  of 
warding  off  the  attacks  of  these  invisible  germs  of 
infection,  and  of  evicting  them  when  in  possession; 
considering,  moreover,  that  the  range  of  infectious 
diseases  continually  widens  with  the  extension  of 
facilities  of  communication,  an  anxious  tempera- 
ment might  give  way  to  despondency.  My  re- 
searches remove  the  main  ground  for  discourage- 
ment. If  the  body  be  adequately  hardened,  infection 
need  be  no  more  apprehended  than  colds  and  chest 
complaints,  and  the  method  which  I  have  explained 
of  ascertaining,  by  determining  the  specific  gravity, 
whether  the  requisite  degree  of  hardening  has  been 
attained,  should  give  additional  force  to  this  sense 
of  security. 

Lastly,  the  whole  rule  of  health  may  be  summed 
up  in  the  simple  maxim:  Procure,  and  maintain, 
the  highest  possible  specific  gravity — that  is,  firstly, 
prevent  the  deposit  of  fat;  and  secondly,  promote 
the  elimination  of  water  from  the  tissues,  avoiding 
anything  calculated  to  check  it. 

THE   SANATORY   COAT. 

(1878.) 

T  WISH  to  lay  great  stress  upon  a  particular 
feature  which  should  characterize  the  Sanatory 
Woolen  Clothing,  since  my  own  personal  experience 
in  the  matter  has  been  truly  astonishing.  It  was 
first  suggested  to  me  by  the  excellent  results  which 
I  have  found  in  medical  practice  from  the  applica- 
tion of  the  "  Reglin"  poultice  to  the  front  middle 
line  of  the  body,  from  the  pit  of  the  neck  to  below 
the  navel.  The  remarkable  relief  thus  afforded  to 


36  The  Sanatory  Coat. 

the  blood-pressure  is  due  to  the  terminal  con- 
vergence in  this  region  of  all  the  blood-vessels  in 
the  trunk  of  the  body,  and  to  the  considerable 
enlargement  of  their  areas,  consequent  upon  the 
stimulating  action  of  the  poultice.  This  is  tanta- 
mount to  expansion  of  the  minute  blood-vessels  of 
the  entire  surface  of  the  trunk;  and  as  upon  their 
size  depends  the  measure  of  evaporation,  it  follows 
that  their  expansion  will  cause  the  skin  to  give  off 
watery  vapor  with  greater  freedom  and  rapidity. 
This  shows  that  particular  attention  should  be 
paid  to  the  middle  line  of  chest  and  stomach — that 
is  to  say,  the  clothes  should  keep  this  part  warmer 
than  the  other  surfaces  of  the  body,  which  is  easily 
effected  by  means  of  a  double-breasted  coat,  similar 
to  that  worn  in  the  Wiirtemberg  regiments.  The 
two  sides  of  the  coat  are  made  to  overlap,  whereby 
the  middle  line  is  covered  twice  as  thickly  as  any 
other  part  of  the  body.  This  plan  for  maintaining 
extra  warmth  operates  similarly  to  the  Reglin 
poultice.  The  double  covering  secures  a  more 
abundant  blood-supply  for  the  entire  skin,  and 
the  vapory,  cutaneous  exhalation  thereby  produced 
can  easily  escape  where  the  coat  is  only  of  one 
thickness.  Two  conditions  are  indispensable. 

1.  The  coat,  t>e  the  weather  ever  so  warm,  should 
at  all  times  be  kept  buttoned  up  all  the  way,  as  pre- 
scribed  in   the  Army.     Those   to  whom  this   may 
seem  irksome  will  find  it  so  only  at  the  very  first. 
Every  soldier  will  bear  witness  to  the  comfort  of 
the  buttoned-up  coat. 

2.  Beneath  the  coat,  neither  waistcoat  nor  white 
shirt    should    be   worn,    but   simply   the  Sanatory 
Woolen  shirt, 


The  Sanatory  Coat.  37 

In  short,  I  may  say  that  the  double-breasted 
Sanitary  coat  is  the  most  conducive  to  health,  be- 
cause it  hardens  the  body  in  a  remarkable  degree, 
while  it  at  the  same  time  affords  the  best  protec- 
tion. Coats  so  constructed  are  certainly  the  most 
elegant  and  most  healthy  wear  for  men. 

Now  I  pass  on  to  my  personal  experience.  I  have 
been  wearing  the  coat  as  above  prescribed  for  the 
last  eight  weeks.  On  several  previous  occasions  I 
had  striven,  with  no  little  perseverance,  to  cure  my- 
self of  a  debilitated  bodily  condition,  taking  Turk- 
ish baths,  active  exercise,  carefully  ventilating  my 
rooms,  dieting  myself,  etc.,  but  with  only  limited 
success.  For  instance,  the  measurement  round  the 
stomach,  where  the  size  chiefly  indicates  the  deposit 
of  fat,  fell  only  from  37!  to  35f  inches,  whereas  the 
normal  measurement  should  not  exceed  2pf  inches. 
During  the  holidays,  indeed,  I  had  at  times  suc- 
ceeded in  reducing  it  to  34!,  but  in  spite  of  all  it 
rose  again  to  35f.  During  the  first  few  weeks  the 
Sanatory  coat  itself  had  little  effect,  but  when  the 
weather  grew  warm,  the  superfluous  fat  began 
to  disappear,  without  any  other  special  device  of 
mine,  at  so  rapid  a  rate  that  the  measurement 
round  the  stomach  by  this  time  only  amounts  to 
32^-  inches,  while  my  fitness  for  work  and  my  gen- 
eral health  have  improved  in  a  corresponding 
ratio.  My  pre-conceived  theory  was  therefore  jus- 
tified beyond  my  most  sanguine  anticipation,  for 
having  regard  to  the  ill-success  of  former  endeav- 
ors, I  did  not  look  for  such  rapid  effect. 


38  The  Source  of  the  Emotions. 

THE   SOURCE   OF    THE    EMOTIONS. 

(1879.) 

T  DEFINE  the  physical  source  of  the  emotions  to 
be  subtile  essences  bound  up  with,  and  emanat- 
ing from,  the  albumen  in  the  bodily  tissues.  These 
essences  may  be  divided  into  two  main  classes  or 
principles,  which  are  opposed  to  one  another  in  the 
effect  which  they  produce,  and  which  may  be  dis- 
tinguished by  the  terms  "  salutary"  and  "  noxious." 
In  a  condition  of  mental  equanimity  or  composure 
these  principles  are  inactive,  and  only  when  a 
decomposition  of  albumen  in  the  tissues  occurs  are 
they  set  free;  they  then  become  perceptible  to  the 
senses,  especially  to  that  of  smell,  and  create  in  the 
body  in  which  they  take  rise  that  which  is  called 
emotion,  or  mood. 

When  essence  in  the  form  of  the  "  salutary" 
principle  is  liberated,  the  emotions  or  mood  are 
cheerful,  enterprising,  and  courageous,  and  the 
body  enjoys  food;  but  if  the  form  be  that  of  the 
"  noxious"  principle,  there  are  gloom,  depression, 
want  of  courage,  and  a  distaste  for  food. 

Mental  equanimity  or  composure  is  restored  when 
the  essences  cease  to  be  liberated,  and  when  the 
portion  set  free  has  been  removed  from  the  body 
by  means  of  the  respiration,  cutaneous  exhalation, 
or  the  other  excretions. 

As  I  have  said,  these  essences  can  be  smelled,  and 
are  otherwise  appreciable  to  the  senses.  My  read- 
ers may  obtain  evidence  of  this  for  themselves. 
As  a  rule  the  "salutary"  principle  is  fragrant;  the 


The  Source  of  the  Emotions.  39 

"  noxious"  principle  tainted  and  offensive.  The 
odor  may  be  most  readily  perceived  in  the  hair  of 
the  head,  and  is  more  defined  in  the  adult  than  in 
the  child.  Of  course  pomade  or  hair  oil  would 
interfere  with  the  natural  scent. 

If  the  subject  of  the  test  be  of  a  cheerful,  pleasant 
mood,  in  good  humor,  the  scent  will  be  agreeable 
and  sweet;  but  if  sorrowful,  depressed,  in  pain,  or 
unwell,  the  scent  will  be  disagreeable.  This  is 
particularly  noticeable  when  persons  are  in  the 
anguish  of  fever,  so  much  so  that  the  odor  is  per- 
ceptible immediately  on  entering  the  patient's  room. 
Terror  or,  with  children,  the  fear  of  punishment 
will  elicit  a  very  disagreeable  odor,  which  has  led 
many  a  teacher  or  father  when  chastising  a  child  to 
form  an  erroneous  conclusion,  although  terror  and 
dread  do  also  affect  the  bowels.  The  offensive 
odor,  however,  exhales  from  skin,  mouth,  and  nose, 
and  as  I  have  proved  by  experiments,  directly  from 
the  brain  as  well.  If  a  portion  of  brain  substance 
be  pulverized  in  a  mortar,  and  a  few  drops  of  nitric 
acid  be  added,  exactly  the  same  odor  is  obtained. 

I  emphatically  remark  that  I  am  here  speaking 
of  things  which  the  experience  of  many  of  my 
readers  will  confirm,  and  all  can  very  easily  con- 
vince themselves  of  the  correctness  of  these  asser- 
tions, which  have  a  great  practical  importance, 
especially  in  connection  with  my  recommendations 
on  health-culture.  At  present  I  will  only  add  that 
whether  the  "  salutary"  or  the  "  noxious"  principle 
shall  be  released  will  depend  upon  the  force  of  the 
excitatory  influence  which  has  caused  the  decom- 
position of  albumen  in  the  tissues.  This  may  be 
very  clearly  demonstrated  with  the  white  of  a  hen's 


4O  The  Source  of  the  Emotions. 

egg.  If  boiled  with  one  of  the  weaker  acids  (or 
even  nitric  acid),  it  will  emit  a  flavor  of  chicken 
broth;  but  if,  for  the  purpose  of  decomposition, 
some  strong  agent  like  phosphoric  acid  be  em- 
ployed, the  offensive  odor  of  the  excrement  of 
poultry  will  be  given  off.  Similarly,  if  the  sensa- 
tions are  agreeable  in  their  nature,  they  must  be 
of  overpowering  intensity  to  liberate  essence  in  the 
form  of  the  "  noxious"  principle;  while  if  the  sen- 
sation be  of  an  unpleasant  kind,  althoagh  much 
less  intense,  the  essence  will  no  longer  emanate  in 
the  form  of  the  "  salutary,"  but  in  that  of  the 
"  noxious"  principle. 

Before  I  proceed  to  deal  with  practical  deduc- 
tions, it  will  be  necessary  to  explain  the  important 
bearing  of  these  principles  upon  the  health  of  the 
body.  We  know  from  every-day  experience  that 
sickness  and  depression,  and,  conversely,  health 
and  cheerfulness,  usually  go  hand  in  hand.  Upon 
closer  observation,  there  is  found  to  be  a  very  in- 
timate connection  with,  and  it  is  especially  worth 
while  to  study  the  relation  of  the  "  noxious"  prin- 
ciple to  disease. 

Physicians  have  long  been  aware  that  great 
terror,  great  dread,  will,  without  the  concurrence 
of  any  other  cause,  avail  to  bring  about  the  most 
serious  derangements  of  health,  even  sudden  death. 
Also,  that  illness  is  attended  with  much  greater 
risk  when  associated  with  worry,  grief,  or  depres- 
sion; while  it  will  augur  well  for  the  issue  if  the 
patient  be  relieved  from  apprehension,  and  a  state 
of  cheerful  confidence,  or,  at  any  rate,  of  composure 
be  established.  Further,  that  terror,  dread,  grief, 
and  care  materially  lessen  the  power  of  resisting 


The  Source  of  the  Emotions.  41 

certain  disorders,  foremost  among  which  are  the 
epidemic  diseases,  such  as  the  plague,  cholera, 
dysentery,  and  small-pox.  Of  cholera,  for  instance, 
it  is  known  that  a  man  thrown  into  a  state  of  in- 
tense dread  at  sight  of  the  dead  body  of  a  cholera 
patient  will  almost  certainly  sicken,  and  often  with 
such  speed  that  within  a  few  hours  he  may  be 
in  sound  health  and  die.  Similarly,  in  time  of  war, 
armies  beaten  and  pursued  present  a  far  more  fa- 
vorable field  for  the  ravages  of  epidemic  disease 
than  their  pursuers,  flushed  with  victory,  even 
though  the  defeated  and  the  conquerors  have  oc- 
cupied the  same  camping  grounds  in  succession. 

For  all  such  phenomena  there  has  hitherto  been 
no  satisfactory  explanation;  they  have  been  ascribed 
to  nervous  agencies,  entirely  overlooking  the  real 
cause — a  peculiar  volatile  essence,  the  "  noxious" 
principle,  which  permeates  all  the  bodily  juices  and 
affects  them  in  the  manner  of  a  poison.  That  some 
such  influence  must  be  in  operation  might  have 
been  inferred  from  the  fact  of  hair  turning  white 
as  a  consequence  of  dread,  grief,  or  care;  this  has 
been  known  to  take  place  in  a  single  night,  when 
persons  have  been  exposed  to  great  dread  or  sor- 
row. Here  the  nervous  system  cannot  be  the  agent, 
for  the  nerves  do  not  reach  into  the  hairs. 

My  researches  make  these  phenomena  clearly  in- 
telligible. The  volatile  "  noxious"  principle,  when 
released  from  the  brain,  enters  the  blood,  whereby 
it  is  circulated  to  every  part  of  the  body,  working 
upon  each  particle  of  living  substance  as  a  paralyz- 
ing poison.  Any  reader  who  has  once  experienced 
it  knows  how  terror  and  dread  affect  the  organs 
which  are  moved  and  controlled  by  the  will.  The 
4 


42  The  Source  of  the  Emotions. 

limbs  refuse  to  act,  the  voice  is  choked  in  the 
throat,  everything  is  loosened  and  relaxed.  How- 
ever, the  trouble  does  not  end  there,  for  the  other 
organs  present  similar  phenomena.  The  sensory, 
nervous  system  is  disabled.  In  the  alimentary 
canal  the  paralyzing  action  occasions  an  exudation 
of  water,  as  attested  by  watery  evacuations.  Other 
signs  are,  outbreaks  of  perspiration  upon  the  epi- 
dermis, and  augmented  renal  excretions. 

As  regards  epidemics,  if  an  infectious  disease 
prevail  in  any  place,  and  the  germs  of  it  be  dissem- 
inated in  the  air  and  drinking-water,  there  must  be 
numbers  of  people  into  whose  system  they  will  gain 
admittance  through  the  vehicles  of  food  and  drink, 
without  necessarily  inducing  sickness.  Sickness 
will  only  be  developed  when  the  condition  of  the 
body  is  favorable  to  the  germs  ;  such  a  condition 
requires,  firstly,  that  the  bodily  juices  shall  contain 
a  certain  percentage  of  water,  for  if  it  be  insuffi- 
cient the  infection  cannot  take  effect.  This  is  the 
reason  why,  as  shown  in  the  essay  on  "  The  Causes 
of  Disease,"  the  process  of  hardening  (water  elim- 
ination) protects  the  body  from  infection.  Second- 
ly, the  degree  of  vital  energy  in  the  tissues,  espe- 
•  cially  in  those  of  the  walls  of  the  intestines,  which 
are  first  attacked  by  the  disease  germs,  is  an  im- 
portant factor.  It  will  readily  be  understood  that 
if  the  emotion  of  dread  will  set  free  within  the  body 
a  noxious  element,  having  power,  as  shown  above, 
to  paralyze  all  the  living  tissues,  including  the  walls 
of  the  intestines,  the  same  cause  would  suddenly 
annihilate  the  body's  faculty  of  withstanding  the 
influence  of  infection. 

In  describing  the  third  condition — hitherto  partly 


The  Source  of  the  Emotions.  43 

unrecognized  —  under  which  infection  may  be 
spread  by  epidemics,  I  am  compelled  to  refer  to 
things  somewhat  unsavory.  This  is  unavoidable, 
however,  when  writing  on  the  question  of  health- 
culture  ;  for  the  source  of  many  diseases  will  be 
found  to  lie  in  dirt  and  things  unsavory,  as  to  which 
an  accurate  knowledge  is  necessary  if  the  diseases 
are  to  be  guarded  against. 

Physicians  have  long  been  aware,  and  so  in  part 
has  the  general  public,  that  the  effluvia  emanating 
from  water-closets  and  privies  are  dangerous  to 
health,  and  that  people  who  inhale  such  effluvia 
are  very  liable  to  catch  infectious  diseases.  Hence 
at  the  outbreak  of  an  epidemic  it  has  latterly  been 
customary  to  make  a  thorough  examination  of  these 
places,  and  to  get  them  disinfected.  But  a  want  of 
correct  apprehension  of  the  question  has  caused 
people  to  go  astray  in  their  measures  of  precaution. 

For  instance,  it  is  generally  supposed,  since  in- 
fection has  been  known  to  proceed  from  living 
organisms,  that  the  offensive  effluvia  of  water- 
closets  and  privies  are  not  in  themselves  dangerous, 
and  become  so  only  when  they  contain  these  germs. 
That  is  an  error.  The  mere  inhaling  of  such  efflu- 
via will  not  produce  cholera,  typhus,  or  dysentery, 
but  if  with  the  breath  the  effluvia  enter  the  bodily 
juices,  and  thus  pervade  the  entire  system,  their 
action  will  be  identical  with  that  of  the  mal-odor- 
ous,  "  noxious"  principle.  Liability  to  infection  is 
thereby  increased,  and  all  that  is  needed  for  infec- 
tion to  ensue  is  that  the  living  organisms,  however 
originating,  should  make  their  way  into  the  body 
with  the  air,  food  or  drink,  which,  during  the  prev- 
alence of  epidemics,  may  very  easily  occur,  These 


44  The  Source  of  the  Emotions. 

germs  might  not  have  worked  harm  had  not  the 
way  for  them  been  prepared  by  inhaling  the  efflu- 
via. The  reason  I  will  give  presently,  but  I  must 
explain  one  other  circumstance  which  has  hitherto 
remained  unnoticed. 

The  alimentary  canal  of  the  body  is  the  original 
source  of  the  effluvia  in  question.  Being  extreme- 
ly volatile,  these  emanations,  while  yet  in  the  body, 
penetrate  from  the  intestine  into  the  bodily  juices 
— a  fact  shown  in  every  post-mortem  examination 
— and  thence  they  issue  by  means  of  the  cutaneous 
evaporation.  Their  effect  on  the  bodily  juices  in 
reference  to  epidemics  is  the  same  as  if  they  had 
been  inhaled,  and  as  that  of  the  mal-odorous  '*  nox- 
ious" principle. 

The  essence  of  the  foregoing  statements  is,  that 
between  the  effluvia  engendered  within  the  body 
and  the  seeds  of  infection  there  is  a  relation,  which 
I  will  now  endeavor  to  explain. 

Notwithstanding  that  each  animal  and  plant  car- 
ries within  itself  every  element  that  appertains  to 
the  nutrition  of  any  living  being,  yet  each  individ- 
ual will  feed  upon  a  special  kind  of  nutriment,  and 
in  some  cases  only  upon  a  particular  plant  or  ani- 
mal. This  peculiarly  applies  to  parasites  ;  for  in- 
stance, a  dog-flea  might  find  in  the  human  blood 
whatever  is  required  for  its  nutriment,  but  has  no 
relish  for  it ;  in  fact,  all  vermin  and  parasites  have 
their  peculiar  tastes,  and  where  these  cannot  be  in- 
dulged they  will  not  settle  or  thrive. 

The  same  thing  applies  to  the  germs  of  infection. 
They  are  parasites  which  in  two  respects  have  their 
special  tastes.  They  settle  only  upon  one  or  a  few 
kinds  of  animals,  The  cholera  germs  thrive  upon 


The  Source  of  the  Emotions.  45 

man;  but  they  are  attracted  only  by  the  malodor- 
ous "  noxious"  elements  of  the  body,  while  the  con- 
trary fragrant,  "salutary"  elements  are  not  to  their 
taste. 

The  reader  will  readily  understand  the  deduction 
to  be  drawn.  Within  the  body  are  continually 
generated  two  odorous  essences,  of  opposite  char- 
acter— the  fragrant  "  salutary"  principle,  and  the 
offensive  "  noxious"  principle, — to  which  latter  also 
belong  the  excretory  effluvia.  Accordingly,  as  the 
latter  or  the  former  principle  prevails,  the  liability 
to  infection  is  greater  or  less.  This  throws  con- 
siderable light  upon  the  method  which  should  be 
adopted  of  coping  with  epidemics. 

From  the  foregoing  the  reader  will  have  realized 
to  some  extent  the  great  practical  importance  of 
being  able  to  control  the  volatile  essences  above 
mentioned.  I  will  endeavor  to  make  this  plainer. 
The  sanitary  aspect  of  the  question  may  be  stated 
thus  :  The  smaller  the  amount  of  the  malodorous 
essences  contained  in  the  bodily  juices — in  other 
words,  the  lower  the  proportion  of  the  "  noxious" 
principle  within  the  body — the  greater  will  be  the 
capacity  of  resisting  infection.  I  have  previously 
shown  how  this  capacity  is  affected  by  the  quantity 
of  water  in  the  tissues,  and  the  matter  may  there- 
fore be  summed  up  as  follows  :  the  lower  the  pro- 
portion of  water  in  the  tissues  and  of  the  "  nox- 
ious" principle,  the  greater  will  be  the  security 
against  disease.  The  question  whether  we  have  it 
in  our  power  to  procure  this  desirable  condition  of 
the  body,  I  answer  unhesitatingly  in  the  affirmative, 
and  I  am  able  to  state  by  what  means.  But  I  must 
first  advert  to  the  moral,  as  distinguished  from  the 


46  The  Source  of  the  Emotions. 

physical,  aspect  of  the  matter,  for  my  experience 
shows  it  to  be  of  high  importance. 

Before  proceeding  further,  however,  let  me  point 
out  that  I  am  not  ventilating  mere  speculations, 
evolved  from  my  inner  consciousness  while  sitting 
before  my  desk.  I  am  discussing  facts,  proved  and 
tested  upon  myself  personally  and  the  members  of 
my  family,  as  well  as  upon  some  friends  who  were 
willing  to  listen  to  my  explanations  and  to  carry 
out  my  suggestions. 

Of  the  three  moods  engendered  by  the  causes 
already  described — equanimity  ;  cheerfulness,  or 
joy  ;  and  dread,  grief,  depression — the  last  named 
is  induced  by  the  presence  of  the  same  '*  noxious" 
principle  which  has  been  previously  shown  to  im- 
peril the  health  of  the  body. 

Every  increase  of  the  "  noxious"  principle  in  the 
body — no  matter  how  and  whence  arising — creates 
a  sense  of  dread,  apprehension,  discomfort,  and 
oppression,  or  induces  that  condition  in  which  the 
i  mpressions  of  things  and  events,  which  would  other- 
wise be  indifferent,  become  a  source  of  annoyance. 
Whereas,  conversely,  the  lower  the  proportion  of 
the  "  noxious"  principle  within  the  body,  the  more 
cheerful  and  light-hearted  is  the  mood  and  the  more 
perfect  the  equanimity.  If  anything  arises  to  dis- 
turb the  composure,  the  promptitude  with  which 
equanimity  is  restored  will  be  according  to  the  ra- 
pidity with  which  the  emanation  of  the  "noxious" 
principle  passes  from  the  tissues,  as  I  will  explain 
further  on. 


Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing.  47 

SANATORY  WOOLEN  CLOTHING. 

(1879.) 

body  has  the  peculiarity  of  defending  its 
property  of  fat,  tissue-water,  and  of  the  liber- 
ated volatile  essences.  It  takes  advantage  of  every 
careless  movement,  every  opportunity,  however  ap- 
parently insignificant,  to  repossess  itself  of  that 
which  has  been  wrested  from  it.  This  is  a  familiar 
experience  as  regards  fat.  Corpulent  persons,  wont 
to  repair  to  Carlsbad,  or  to  resort  to  some  other 
kind  of  anti-fat  regimen,  no  doubt  lose  a  few  pounds 
on  every  occasion,  but  as  soon  as  the  special  treat- 
ment is  over  the  fat  will  reappear.  I  experienced 
this  in  my  own  person  when  I  began  my  researches 
on  the  subject  of  health-culture.  Every  forcible 
remedy  adopted  produced  a  slight  diminution  in 
the  measurement  round  the  body,  but  as  soon  as  I 
ceased  the  special  cure  I  returned  to  my  former 
size.  At  present,  however,  I  am  really  master  of 
the  situation.  In  a  few  months  my  measurement 
round  the  body  permanently  receded  to  the  extent 
of  about  5^  inches,  while  the  weight  per  liter-vol- 
ume of  body  bulk  rose  by  15  grams  (or  i£  per 
cent),  and  my  flesh,  in  point  of  firmness  and  hard- 
ness, resembles  that  of  the  most  seasoned  soldier. 
Nor  did  this  entail  any  particular  trouble  in  the  ac- 
complishment, for  the  entire  change,  including  the 
elimination  of  superfluous  water  and  of  liberated 
emanations  from  the  tissues,  has  been  brought 
about  by  the  adoption  of  a  suitable  change  in  the  sys- 
tem of  clothing,  combined  with  thorough  ventilation 


48  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing. 

of  the  living  and  sleeping  rooms,  and  with — in  my 
own  special  case,  where  the  elimination  of  fat  pre- 
sented the  chief  difficulty — four  pedestrian  tours, 
each  lasting  over  some  days. 

As  regards  the  clothing,  several  points  need  con- 
sideration. First  comes  the  material  of  which  it  is 
made.  I  have  already  shown  that  animal  wool 
meets  the  requirements .  of  health-culture  to  a 
much  larger  extent  than  materials  made  of  vegeta- 
ble fiber,  such  as  linen,  hemp  and  cotton,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  much  greater  impermeability  of  the 
latter  to  watery  vapor.  The  German  proverb, 
describing  a  healthy,  comfortable  man  as  one  "  sit- 
ting in  the  wool/'  goes  to  show  that  popular  usage 
is  in  this  particular  in  advance  of  science  ;  and  it 
is  indeed  hard  to  understand  how  linen  and  cotton 
should  have  so  long  and  so  extensively  held  their 
ground  as  clothing  materials. 

The  rate  at  which  this  question  has  been  matur- 
ing within  the  last  decade  is  instructive,  and  im- 
portant to  the  right  apprehension  of  the  practical 
deductions  and  suggestions  which  I  have  to  make. 

My  own  earliest  practical  application  of  wool 
was  to  advise  persons  subject  to  colds  to  wear  a 
strip  of  flannel  next  to  the  skin,  from  the  chest 
down  to  the  stomach,  and  some  benefit  was  cer- 
tainly derived  therefrom.  Next  followed  the  use 
of  undervests,  and  finally  of  woolen  shirts,  worn 
under  white  shirts.  This  was  an  error.  The  body 
was  indeed  protected,  but  at  the  same  time  ener- 
vated, and  the  woolen  shirt,  placed  between  the 
outer  white  shirt  and  the  body,  soon  became  moist 
with  perspiration  and  disagreeable.  For  this  rea- 
son many  doctors  pronounced  against  the  use  of 


Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing.  49 

woolen  shirts,  but  this  was  again  an  error.  Not 
the  woolen  shirt,  but  the  overlying  white  shirt  pro- 
duced the  evil,  and  should  have  been  discarded. 
I  recognized  this  in  the  year  1868,  and  at  once 
made  my  opinion  known.  Then  came  the  Franco- 
German  War,  1870-71,  and  the  experience  gained 
in  it  opened  up  a  wide  career  for  the  woolen  shirt, 
although  the  mistake  was  still  made  of  wearing  a 
white  shirt  over  it.  I  now  find,  however,  that  it 
does  not  depend  upon  the  shirt  alone — that  is  to 
say,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  wear  a  woolen  shirt  with- 
out a  white  one  over  it, — but  that  all  linen  and  cot- 
ton material  in  the  clothing,  not  excepting  that 
used  for  lining  and  stiffening  coats,  etc.,  and  for 
pockets  of  coats  and  trousers,  is  pernicious  to 
health.  The  clothing  should  be  made  throughout 
of  pure  animal  wool.  How  astonishingly  sensitive 
the  body  is  to  the  benefits  of  this  I  have  had  many 
opportunities  of  observing  in  my  own  circle. 

When  I  came  to  rightly  understand  the  matter  I 
began  by  substituting  woolen  for  the  linen  or 
cotton  linings.  This  could  not  be  effected  all  at 
once,  and  some  coats  which  were  held  not  to  be 
worth  the  extra  expense  were  to  be  worn  out  to  the 
end  with  the  old  lining.  However,  if  one  of  us 
had  been  wearing  an  altered  garment  for  any 
length  of  time,  and  then  put  on  one  not  altered, 
there  immediately  supervened,  with  more  or  less 
distinctness,  that  feeling  of  uneasiness  which  arises 
from  incomplete  evaporation  of  the  "  noxious" 
emanations.  This  would  wear  off,  but  the  harmo- 
nious condition  of  the  body  changed  for  the  worse. 
The  mood  was  less  equable,  and  the  tendency  to 
take  cold  was  greater.  These  symptoms  disap- 


50  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing. 

peared  when  the  coat  made  entirely  of  wool  was 
resumed. 

Similar  experiments  were  instituted  so  frequent- 
ly, and  were  so  constantly  followed  by  the  like  re- 
sult, as  to  remove  all  doubt  as  to  the  accuracy  of 
my  researches.  My  readers  can  test  the  matter 
for  themselves. 

The  material,  however,  is  not  the  sole  considera- 
tion; the  cut  of  the  clothing  must  also  be  taken 
into  account.  I  may  state  generally,  first,  that  the 
clothing  will  be  the  better  for  fitting  quite  tightly, 
so  as  to  allow  the  least  possible  movement  of  air 
between  the  clothes  and  the  body;  and  second,  that 
it  should  be  twice  as  thick  along  the  middle  line  of 
the  trunk  from  neck  to  abdomen,  as  at  the  sides  or 
back. 

Another  point  for  consideration  is  the  number  of 
garments  that  should  be  worn  one  over  the  other. 
For  men  and  boys  the  clothing  should  consist  sim- 
ply of  woolen  shirt,  woolen  socks  (elderly  people 
may  wear  stockings),  cloth  trousers  fitting  as 
closely  as  is  practicable,  and  cloth  coat.  The  coat 
sleeves  should  be  lined  with  woolen  material,  and 
these,  as  well  as  the  trousers,  when  the  latter  do 
not  fit  tightly  (as,  to  be  perfect,  they  should  do), 
must  be  closed  against  upward  draughts  by  web- 
bings sewed  in  them  and  fitting  round  the  arms 
and  ankles  ;  therefore  no  drawers  are  required,  no 
waistcoat,  and  no  overcoat,  not  even  in  winter 
time,  except  when  driving,  and  the  cold  is  so 
severe  as  to  make  the  very  wheels  ring.  This  win- 
ter, although  the  thermometer  stood  as  low  as  12° 
(Reaumur)  of  frost  at  Stuttgart,  I  never  wore  an 


Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing.  51 

overcoat,  and,  indeed,  felt  that  it  would  have  been 
altogether  superfluous. 

Among  the  various  men's  coats  now  generally 
worn,  all  such  as  cannot  be  made  to  close  right  up 
to  the  neck  and  to  fit  compactly  to  the  figure 
should  be  laid  aside  as  wholly  unsanatory.  An  ex- 
amination of  the  interior  of  an  old  coat  will  reveal 
an  astounding  quantity  of  rubbish  secreted  under 
the  lining  for  purposes  of  padding,  stiffening,  etc. 
This  becomes  saturated  with  the  malodorous 
"  noxious"  emanations  of  the  body,  and  freely  evap- 
orates them  under  influences  of  heat  or  moisture. 

I  should  now  like  to  say  a  word  on  women's 
dress,  but  I  approach  the  subject  with  a  certain 
amount  of  diffidence,  for  here,  habit  and  prejudice 
are  even  more  potent  than  with  men,  and  I  have  to 
declare  war  against  such  cherished  finery  as  silk 
dresses,  white  petticoats  (often  starched  so  as  to 
make  them  thoroughly  impermeable),  linen  stays, 
cotton  or  silk  stockings,  and  white  starched  dresses, 
which  inclose  the  whole  body  as  though  under  a 
glass  cover.  Then,  again,  women  are  so  fond  of 
their  store  of  linen,  take  such  a  delight  in  the  di- 
version afforded  by  interminable  washings  and 
ironings  and  starchings,  that  I  fear  they  will  con- 
demn me  as  a  disturberof  the  peace  of  households, 
who  is  bent  on  creating  a  cheerless  waste  in  the 
laundry  and  press-room.  Yet,  seeing  that  my  own 
wife  has  not  only  become  reconciled  to  the  new 
order  of  things,  but  declares  that  she  would  not 
willingly  revert  to  the  status  quo  ante,  I  will  venture 
to  proceed.  Chemise,  stockings,  drawers,  petti- 
coats, and  stays  should  all  be  made  of  pure  animal 
wool.  These,  with  a  dress  of  pure  woolen  stuff, 


52  The  Open  Bedroom  Window. 

closing  well  round  the  throat,  and  having  a  double 
woolen  lining  at  the  chest  and  downwards,  should 
be  the  winter  and  summer  wear  of  women,  who 
would  then  participate  in  all  the  advantages  which 
I  have  described,  and  of  which  they  stand  even  in 
greater  need  than  do  men. 

THE  OPEN  BEDROOM  WINDOW. 

(1879.) 

A  BOOK  might  easily  be  written  on  the  immense 
advantages  attending  the  practice  of  always 
sleeping  with  the  bedroom  window  open,  and  on 
the  great  disadvantages  which  arise  if  this  rule  be 
neglected;  also  on  the  progress  which  has  been 
made  in  the  treatment  of  disease  since  it  has  been 
recognized  as  a  prime  necessity  of  life  and  health 
that  the  atmosphere  immediately  surrounding  the 
body  should  freely  mingle  with  the  open  air. 

It  cannot  be  too  often  insisted  upon  that  the 
body  will  not  be  hardened  or  empowered  to  resist 
the  attacks  of  disease  unless  there  be  thorough 
ventilation  of  the  bedroom.  To  insure  this,  in  mild 
and  quiet  weather  two  windows  should  be  open 
at  top,  when  more  than  one  person  is  sleeping  in 
a  room.  But,  however  cold  or  severe  the  weather 
one  window  should  always  be  open  at  the  top, 
although  the  air  can  be  prevented  from  blowing 
on  the  sleeper  by  the  interposition  of  a  blind  or  a 
curtain.  To  endeavor  to  ventilate  a  bedroom  by 
an  open  window  in  an  adjoining  room  is  useless,  as 
will  quickly  be  recognized  by  the  nose,  which  is 
the  best  test  as  to  whether  a  room  is  properly  ven- 
tilated. 


The  Open  Bedroom  Window.  53 

If  on  returning  to  a  bedroom  in  the  morning 
from  the  fresh  air  it  is  found  to  be  in  the  least 
fusty,  the  ventilation  is  insufficient.  Nor  is  this 
fustiness  merely  a  sign  that  the  air  is  impure;  the 
odorous  matters  whose  presence  it  indicates  are 
the  "  noxious"  elements  of  the  body's  exhalations 
and  have  a  distinctly  deleterious  effect  when 
they  are  inhaled  with  the  atmosphere  which  they 
pervade.  Various  unfounded  objections  have  been 
raised,  tending  to  establish  the  injurious  qualities 
of  the  external  atmosphere  when  breathed  at  night 
by  sleepers.  For  instance,  it  is  stated  that  the 
night  air  is  laden  with  carbonic  acid,  which  is 
dangerous  to  the  breathing  passages  when  inhaled. 
In  making  this  assertion  the  fact  is  overlooked  that 
the  breathing  passages  invariably  contain  air 
charged  with  4  per  cent  of  carbonic  acid,  while 
the  proportion  in  the  night  air  is  at  most  4 
per  thousand.  I  myself  have  made  the  experi- 
ment of  charging  the  atmosphere  with  carbonic 
acid  up  to  i  per  cent,  without  in  the  least  affect- 
ing my  breathing.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the 
water  that  streams  down  inside  the  window  of  a 
closed  sleeping-room  be  collected,  one  drop  of  this 
liquid,  impregnated  as  it  is  with  the  "  noxious" 
exhalations  given  off  by  the  sleepers,  will  suffice  to 
poison  a  rabbit,  as  has  been  shown  by  actual  ex- 
periment. Those  who  have  adopted  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  are  free  from  night  sweats  and  are 
not  subject  to  the  chills  of  which  persons  clad  in 
linen  and  sleeping  in  sheets  are  so  greatly  in  dread. 
The  woolen  clothing  and  bedding  afford  ample 
protection;  and  if  the  head,  from  baldness,  or  the 
thinness  of  the  hair,  be  especially  sensitive,  some 


54  The  Deodorization  of  the  Body. 

extra  light  woolen  covering  may  be  provided  for 
it.  The  difference  in  the  effect  on  the  spirits,  and 
in  the  refreshed,  instead  of  jaded,  feeling  on  rising 
from  bed,  when,  by  means  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
Clothing  and  Bedding,  and  the  open  window,  the 
"noxious"  exhalations  of  the  body  are  allowed  to 
pass  freely  away,  instead  of  being  inhaled  over  and 
over  again,  can  only  be  appreciated  by  those  who 
have  tried  it.  Children  no  longer  toss  about  in 
their  beds  and  throw  off  the  clothes,  leaving  the 
lower  limbs  exposed,  while  the  face  and  hair  are 
clammy  with  perspiration.  In  the  hottest  nights 
they  lie  comfortable,  just  as  they  went  off  to  sleep. 


0 


THE  DEODORIZATION  OF  THE  BODY. 

(1879.) 
NE  effect  of  the  adoption  of  the  Sanatory  Wool- 


en Clothing  and  Bedding,  both  in  my  own 
case  and  in  that  of  all  persons  experimented  upon, 
is  very  confirmatory  of  my  teaching,  and  is  not  de- 
void of  interest  from  a  practical  point  of  view. 
This  effect  I  may  call  the  deodorization  (or  sweeten- 
ing) of  the  body.  Where  surrounding  conditions 
tend  to  check  evaporation,  the  watery  vapor  given 
off  by  the  body  is  apt  to  acquire  a  taint.  Frequent 
ablutions  and  change  of  linen  will  reduce  its  offen- 
siveness,  but  it  can  never  be  thoroughly  cured  ex- 
cept by  means  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing 
and  Bedding,  and  of  open  bedroom  windows  at 
night. 

The  disadvantages  imputed  to  woolen  under- 
clothing by  several  professional  men — among  whom 
I  may  mention  the  famous  HUFELANP — such  as 


The  Deodorization  of  the  Body.  55 

weakening  and  irritating  the  skin,  are  not  imagi- 
nary, but  very  real,  when  cotton  or  linen  shirts  are 
worn  over  woolen  materials,  or  when  cotton  or  linen 
linings  to  the  waistcoats,  coats,  etc.,  are  retained; 
whereas,  if  nothing  but  woolen  upper  and  under- 
clothing be  worn,  all  such  objections  disappear. 

It  will  serve  as  a  hint  to  other  novices  in  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System,  if  I  state  that  several 
have  written  to  me  that  during  the  first  few  days 
after  putting  on  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  the 
skin  gave  off  a  copious  secretion,  by  some  described 
as  noisome,  by  others  as  sticky,  necessitating  a  fre- 
quent change  of  shirt;  but  that  very  shortly  this 
ceased,  and  the  shirt  acquired  and  continued  to 
retain  the  pleasant  "  salutary"  odor. 

I  have  referred  to  these  communications,  as 
otherwise  alarm  might  be  caused  by  similar  expe- 
rience, whereas  if  benefit  is  to  be  derived  from  the 
System,  any  such  secretions  retained  in  the  body 
must  be  expelled  from  it. 

Now  I  come  to  another  practical  point.  I  men- 
tioned before  that  water-closets  and  privies  had 
long  been  under  suspicion  of  causing  and  facili- 
tating the  spread  of  infection,  and  that  on  this 
account  certain  regulations  had  been  suggested 
under  the  name  of  Disinfection.  It  was  thought 
that  disinfecting  fluids  poured  down  would  kill  the 
living  organisms  of  infection.  Soon,  however,  it 
was  discovered — and  the  botanist  NAEGELI  confirms 
it  in  his  book  noticed  in  a  previous  essay — that  in 
most  cases  these  germs  are  not  killed;  but  that  the 
fosse,  pipe,  or  drain  is  simply  freed  from  offensive 
smells,  />.,  "deodorized"  instead  of  being  disin- 
fected. This  was  therefore  accounted  a  useless 


56  The  Deodorization  of  the  Body. 

proceeding,  as  merely  doing  away  with  the  unpleas- 
ant impression  produced  upon  the  nostrils,  and 
Professor  NAEGELI  holds  the  same  view,  which, 
however,  according  to  my  researches,  is  wrong. 
No  doubt,  the  complete  extermination  of  the  disease 
germs  by  a  process  of  disinfection  would  be  prefer- 
able, but  deodorizing  presents  the  very  great  ad- 
vantage of  putting  an  end  to  those  offensive  effluvia, 
the  inhalation  and  collection  of  which  in  the  body 
adapt  it  to  take  infection.  The  nose  is  truly  the 
sanitary  sentinel.  We  should  follow  its  warnings, 
and  avoid  every  kind  of  stench,  attacking  the  cause 
with  the  utmost  energy  by  deodorizing,  at  any 
rate,  if  complete  eradication  be  impossible.  Stench 
alone  will  not  cause  illness,  but  protracted  inhala- 
tion of  tainted  air  adapts  the  body  for  contracting 
disease,  particularly  infectious  disease. 

Here,  perhaps,  I  should  say  a  few  words  with 
reference  to  a  fact,  based  on  incontestable  statisti- 
cal accounts,  in  apparent  contradiction  with  my 
teaching.  Laborers  and  others  engaged  in  sewer 
work,  whose  occupation  compels  them  to  pass 
their  lives  in  an  atmosphere  heavily  charged  with 
sewer  gases,  enjoy  almost  perfect  immunity  from 
such  epidemic  affections  as  small-pox,  cholera, 
typhus,  etc.;  but  in  discussing  this  point  I  fear  I 
should  need  to  assume  too  much  insight  into  scien- 
tific details  on  the  part  of  my  readers.  I  will  there- 
fore be  content  to  say  that  the  above  fact  is  not 
only  in  accord  with  my  assertions,  but  supplies 
another  proof  that  the  presence  or  absence  of  cer- 
'tain  odorous  elements  in  the  bodily  juices  will  de- 
cide the  issue  of  susceptibility  to  contagion.  I  will 
only  point  out  that  the  effluvia  arising  from  newly^ 


The  Deodorizalion  of  the  Body.  57 

voided  ejecta  emit  a  very  different  odor  from  that 
of  sulphureted  hydrogen,  etc.,  emanating  from 
foul  drains.  The  first-named  odors  are  more  dan- 
gerous, because  inducing  liability  to  infection;  the 
latter,  on  the  contrary,  as  secretions  of  the  ferment 
of  putrescence,  are  analogous  to  the  germs  of  in- 
fection themselves,  and  act,  when  in  a  higher  state 
of  concentration,  as  preservatives  against  the  seeds 
of  infection,  upon  the  same  principle  that  inocula- 
tion with  cow-pox  matter  protects  against  infection 
from  the  congeneric  germs  of  human  small-pox. 

The  power  of  resistance  to  the  influences  of  tem- 
perature I  formerly  attributed  entirely  to  the 
elimination  of  the  superfluous  tissue-water,  but  my 
further  investigations  have  satisfied  me  that  the 
deodorization  of  the  body  has  also  a  share  in  it. 
My  conclusion  rests,  among  other  grounds,  upon 
the  phenomena  observed  in  the  pursuit  of  my 
researches  on  the  other  section  of  the  causes  of 
disease — that  is  to  say,  on  matter  by  which  infec- 
tion is  conveyed.  I  have  not  made  exhaustive 
experiments  specially  directed  to  the  elucidation  of 
this  question,  yet  what  has  come  under  my  notice 
incidentally  is  instructive,  and  must,  as  I  judge, 
prove  interesting  to  others. 

The  reader  is  aware  that  the  so-called  catarrh  of 
the  respiratory  organs,  particularly  in  the  form  of 
colds  and  coughs,  is  one  of  the  complaints  most 
frequently  and  easily  communicated.  Formerly 
the  members  of  my  family  and  myself  constantly 
contracted  catarrh.  A  child  would  bring  it  home 
and  pass  it  on  to  the  rest;  or  visitors,  suffering 
from  colds  and  coughs,  would  convey  the  contagion 
by  means  of  the  customary  embrace.  This  winter, 
5 


58  The  Deodorization  of  the  Body. 

however,  although  opportunities  were  not  wanting, 
no  one  in  the  house  was  infected,  but  I  observed 
more  than  once  that,  after  being  together  with  a 
person  suffering  from  cold,  all  the  symptoms  of  an 
on-coming  cold  and  cough  would  become  manifest. 
There  ensued  sneezings  and  fits  of  coughing,  but 
instead  of  the  usual  preliminary  feverish  stage  and 
dry  throat,  succeeded  by  much  watery  mucus,  sub- 
sequently changing  to  thick  phlegm,  expectoration 
set  in  at  once,  and  the  matter  was  ended. 

One  of  my  children  came  home  from  school  com- 
plaining of  indisposition  and  faintness,  which  he 
had  first  felt  when  in  school.  While  a  warm  drink 
was  preparing  for  him,  the  boy  vomited,  and  an 
hour  later  he  was  out  of  doors  again.  The  matter 
brought  up  did  not  show  that  the  child  had  eaten 
anything  calculated  to  disagree  with  him. 

It  has  happened  more  than  once  that  in  the 
evening  a  member  of  the  family  would  exhibit  such 
symptoms  of  serious  illness  as  feverishness,  head- 
ache, dry,  hot  skin,  and  languor.  But  nothing  was 
done  beyond  administering  a  glass  of  strongly- 
sugared  water,  and  no  real  illness  broke  out,  the 
patient  invariably  recovering  by  the  next  day. 

That  a  capacity  for  resisting  infection  has  been 
attained  is  confirmed  by  the  following  observations 
which  I  have  made.  In  former  years  my  children, 
especially  during  the  first  year  of  school  attend- 
ance, brought  home  every  kind  of  infectious  disease 
which  made  its  appearance  in  the  school  My 
youngest  girl  went  to  school  for  the  first  time  this 
winter.  Opportunities  of  catching  various  com- 
plaints have  been  plentiful,  for  more  than  a  third 
of  the  children  in  her  class  were  away  at  one  time 


The  Deodorization  of  the  Body.  59 

on  account  of  illness.  My  little  one,  however, 
brought  home  no  sickness,  and  went  through  the 
winter,  like  all  the  rest  of  us,  exempt  from  any  ail- 
ment. Further,  the  two  children  of  a  neighboring 
acquaintance,  who  are  constant  companions  of  my 
two  little  ones,  have  had  the  whooping-cough  since 
the  commencement  of  the  winter,  and  that  is  well 
known  to  be  catching;  As  might  be  supposed, 
intercourse  between  them  was  consequently  re- 
stricted; but,  to  my  certain  knowledge,  they  met 
quite  frequently  enough  to  communicate  the  com- 
plaint; yet,  although  my  children  had  never  had 
the  whooping-cough,  they  did  not  catch  it  from 
their  playmates.  Of  themselves  these  observations 
would  of  course  not  suffice;  but  taken  in  connection 
with  all  my  other  experiences,  and  considering  the 
general  conditions  of  infection,  they  possess,  to  my 
mind,  sufficiently  conclusive  evidence  to  enable  me 
to  give  the  following  succinct  explanation  of  the 
change  which  is  effected  in  the  body  by  the  agency 
of  deodorization. 

The  malodorous  emanations  within  the  body  act 
upon  the  nervous  apparatus  similarly  to  dust  on 
the  clockwork  of  a  timepiece,  retarding  its  move- 
ment, and  rendering  it  irregular.  The  defense  of 
the  body  against  extraneous  influences,  whether  of 
heat,  cold,  or  infection,  will  depend  upon  the 
prompt  intervention  of  that  which  the  doctors 
term  "  reaction,"  and  which  takes  its  rise  in  the 
nerves.  This  is  the  force,  provided  it  operate  be- 
times, that  should  avert  illness  in  the  shape  of 
cold,  inflammatory  action,  or  infection;  while,  if 
the  reaction  be  too  long  delayed,  the  mischief  is 
done. 


60  The  Deodorization  of  the  Body. 

As  regards  infection,  the  absence,  as  previously 
explained,  of  the  particular  odorous  elements 
favoring  the  propagation  of  the  germs  will  con- 
stitute an  obstacle  to  their  effecting  a  speedy  set- 
tlement. Thus,  the  reaction  of  the  hardened  body 
casts  out  the  agent  of  cough  and  catarrh  infection, 
be  means  of  a  prompt  secretion  of  mucus  ere  it  can 
effect  a  footing.  Anything  injurious  which  may 
enter  the  stomach  is  removed  by  immediate  vomit- 
ing. Exposure  to  cold  at  once  causes  a  more  ac- 
tive transmission  of  blood  to  the  integumentary 
vessels,  with  the  result  of  kindling  warmth  in  the 
skin;  while  in  an  overheated  room,  or  in  front  of  a 
blazing  fire,  the  blood-supply  in  the  skin  is  forth- 
with diminished,  thus  preventing  the  disagreeable 
sensation  of  undue  warmth. 

This  view  is  confirmed  by  other  observations  on 
the  members  of  my  own  family.  Stomach,  heart, 
lungs,  and  brain  all  display  greater  vitality.  My 
wife  and  myself  until  lately  had  very  difficult  di- 
gestions, and  needed  much  caution  in  the  matter 
of  indigestible  dishes,  whereas  now  we  can  venture 
upon  all  sorts  of  food  without  the  slightest  incon- 
venience. The  heart-beats  in  my  own  case  have 
long  been  too  quick,  numbering  eighty-four  per 
minute,  when  I  was  perfectly  still;  but  for  the  last 
few  months  I  reckon  seventy-five  per  minute — the 
normal  number  of  beats  for  a  man  of  my  age- — 
while  under  the  strain  of  exertion  no  such  increase 
takes  place  as  before.  . 

Last  year  my  repeated  attempts  at  gardening 
miscarried,  owing  to  rapid  heating  and  perspiring, 
and  fatigue  in  the  arms;  but  now,  although  I  had 
no  practice  through  the  past  winter,  I  can  do  several 


The  German  Gymnastic  Suit.  6 1 

hours'  digging  and  hoeing  without  strain.  In  short, 
each  bodily  function  is  freed  from  influences  which 
previously  restricted  its  action. 

THE   GERMAN   GYMNASTIC   SUIT. 

(1879.) 

YX7HEN  I  commenced  my  studies  on  the  subject 
of  health  -  culture,  some  ten  years  ago,  I 
stumbled  against  a  paradox  which  long  puzzled 
me,  and  of  which  I  have  only  now  found  the  solu- 
tion. I  refer  to  the  question  of  the  value  which 
should  be  attached  to  gymnastic  drill  in  regard  to 
health-culture. 

The  more  I  investigated  the  conditions  of  the 
maintenance  of  health  and  of  the  power  to  with- 
stand morbific  influences,  the  more  fully  did  I  feel 
satisfied  that  gymnastic  drill  must  be  conducive  to 
health.  On  the  other  hand,  I  could  not  shut  my 
eyes  to  the  fact  that  members  of  German  gymnas- 
tic clubs  or  schools,  when  compared  with  other 
people,  are  in  no  way  so  much  more  healthy  as 
might  be  expected  from  the  deductions  of  scientific 
investigation. 

People  with  whom  I  have  discussed  the  subject 
would  call  to  mind  the  case  of  this  or  that  en- 
thusiastic gymnast  of  their  acquaintance  who  had 
died  prematurely.  Especially  suggestive  were  the 
cases  of  two  well-known  Stuttgart  gymnasts,  one 
of  whom  died  of  pneumonia,  the  other  of  dropsy. 
I  am  well  aware  that  no  health-culture  can  per- 
petuate existence,  but  that  both  these  men  should 
have  died  in  the  prime  of  life  appeared  not  to  lie 
within  the  natural  order  of  things. 


62  The  German  Gymnastic  Suit. 

I  now  know,  or,  to  speak  more  modestly,  I  be- 
lieve that  I  know,  the  reason  of  the  notorious 
sanitary  ill-success  of  the  German  system  of  gym- 
nastics. The  unfortunate  selection  of  the  material 
of  the  regulation  gymnastic  suit  not  only  mars  the 
usefulness  of  the  tempering  and  hardening  of  the 
body,  which  should  result  from  gymnastic  drill — in 
that  it  renders  the  effect  merely  transient — but  is 
actually  a  source  of  danger.  That  gymnasts  do 
not  possess  well-hardened  bodies  may  be  seen  at 
any  visit  to  a  gymnastic  festival. 

Very  exceptional  exertion  should  be  necessary 
to  wring  copious  perspiration  from  a  man  who  is 
properly  "trained."  The  strain  on  gymnasts  at 
festivals,  where  they  rest  after  each  of  their  brief 
exhibitions,- is  not  of  a  kind  to  cause  perspiration 
in  men  in  thorough  training,  and  yet  how  much 
perspiration  is  shed  at  gymnastic  matches,  not- 
withstanding the  light  costume!  Not  only  are  the 
shirts  soaked,  but  the  outer  clothing  too  is  stained 
with  perspiration. 

A  chill  will  readily  strike  inwards  when  the  skin 
is  covered  with  perspiration,  and  there  is  no  more 
inadequate  protection  against  chills  than  that  af- 
forded by  a  white  shirt  and  a  duck  jacket  saturated 
with  wet.  Further,  if  we  consider  the  energy  with 
which  the  proper  training  "form"  is  counteracted 
by  liberal  potations  of  beer,  we  shall  no  longer 
wonder  at  the  sanitary  ill-success  of  gymnastic 
drill,  nor  at  the  passive  resistance  offered  to  it  by 
the  majority  of  the  public.  For  these  reasons  I 
am  anxious  to  impress  upon  all  gymnastic  clubs 
and  associations  that  it  behooves  them,  both  in  the 
interests  of  individual  members  and  in  that  of  their 


The  Atmosphere  of  Schoolrooms.  63 

otherwise  most  excellent  cause,  to  remedy  the  evil 
pointed  out. 

The  bad  effects  of  faulty  clothing  in  school  gym- 
nastics will  also  be  apparent  from  the  foregoing. 

THE   ATMOSPHERE   OF   SCHOOLROOMS. 

(1879.) 

ALTHOUGH  the  badness  of  the  atmosphere  in 
overcrowded  schoolrooms  is  a  somewhat  hack- 
neyed subject,  I  purpose  to  treat  of  it  here,  because 
the  researches  which  I  have  detailed  in  the  previous 
essays  not  only  clear  up  much  that  has  hitherto 
been  unexplained,  but  also  furnish  several  practical 
hints. 

The  reader  will  recall  my  explanation  of  the  re- 
lation of  the  odorous  elements  of  the  body's  exha- 
lations to  the  emotions  or  mood,  and  the  distinction 
which  I  draw  between  the  "  salutary"  and  the 
"noxious"  principle.  Accordingly  as  the  former 
or  the  latter  predominates,  the  mood  will  be  cheer- 
ful and  equable,  or  depressed  and  irritable. 

The  effect  of  checking  the  free  passage  of  these 
emanations  from  the  body  by  a  false  system  of 
clothing,  etc.,  has,  so  far,  been  chiefly  kept  in  view; 
but  there  are  other  aspects  of  the  question  which 
have  not  yet  been  touched  upon. 

First,  the  quantity  of  these  emanations  present 
in  the  blood  is  increased  when  they  are  inhaled 
from  an  atmosphere  which  is  laden  with  them. 

Second,  the  exhalation  given  out  by  the  body  is 
entirely  different,  accordingly  as  the  mood  is  cheer- 
ful or  depressed. 

When  the  mind  and  body  are  at  rest,  the  exhala- 


64  The  Atmosphere  of  Schoolrooms. 

tions  principally  consist  of  the  emanations  which 
arise  from  the  food  during  and  after  digestion. 
These  belong  to  the  "  noxious"  class,  and  their  ac- 
cumulation, for  instance,  in  badly-ventilated  bed- 
rooms, accounts  for  the  depressed,  irritable  mood 
which  is  frequently  experienced  on  waking  from 
sleep.  These  emanations  are  practically  uninter- 
mittent,  but  so  soon  as  the  emotions  are  called  into 
play,  are  either  combined  with  the  "  salutary"  or 
with  further  "noxious"  emanations,  accordingly  as 
the  mood  is  cheerful  or  the  reverse. 

When  a  teacher  terrifies  and  tyrannizes  over  his 
pupils,  the  "  noxious"  emanations  evolved  by  the 
digested  food  are  combined  with  those  induced  by 
the  emotion  of  dread;  and  the  atmosphere  of  the 
schoolroom  will  be  much  more  rapidly  and  forcibly 
filled  with  "  noxious"  exhalations  than  when  the 
teacher  handles  the  pupils  so  that  they  are  not  in 
constant  fear  and  dread,  but  preserve  their  equa- 
nimity. 

The  "  noxious"  emanations  exhaled  by  the  terri- 
fied children  are  inhaled  by  all  occupants  of  the 
room,  not  excepting  the  teacher  himself.  This 
tends  to  increase  the  latter's  irritability,  while  the 
effect  on  the  children  is  to  paralyze  and  confuse 
their  mental  powers  and  to  destroy  their  control 
over  that  which  they  know — they  cannot  think  of 
it,  become  excited,  and  "  lose  their  heads."  Thus, 
no  one  escapes  the  evil  influence  of  the  increas- 
ingly deteriorating  atmosphere,  and  the  school- 
room becomes  a  purgatory  both  for  teacher  and 
pupils.  That,  in  spite  of  all  severity  and  punish- 
ment, less  will  be  learned  than  if  the  atmosphere 
had  been  pure,  is  self-evident. 


Summer  and  Winter  Clothing.  65 

From  this  may  be  deduced  three  rules: 

1.  The  greatest  care  should  be  expended  on  the 
ventilation  of  the  schoolrooms.     Let    the  teacher 
remember  that   otherwise  he  will  be  punished  by 
the  bad  effect  upon  his  own  temper. 

2.  Teachers  should  not  treat  their  pupils  roughly, 
and  so  as  to  terrify  them,  but  in  a  friendly,  encour- 
aging,   even    cheering   manner.      If,    for   instance, 
they  can  arouse  the  children's  laughter  by  a  joke 
or  witticism,  the  distraction  will  do   no  harm;  on 
the  contrary,  the  "  salutary"  essence  thus  released 
will  lighten  the  labor  of  learning,  and  its  exhala- 
tion will  have   a  beneficial   effect  upon  pupils  and 
teachers  alike. 

3.  There  should  be  no  school  held  after  dinner, 
while    digestion    is    going    on,    because  then   the 
"noxious"    emanations    are    freely    evolved,    and 
quickly  corrupt  the  atmosphere  of  the  schoolroom. 
As  much  will  be  done  in  one  hour  before,  as  in  two 
hours  after  dinner. 

SUMMER  AND   WINTER   CLOTHING. 

(1879.) 

1II7'E  have  had  to  wait  for  the  summer,  but  within 
V  the  last  few  days  it  has  set  in  with  intensity. 
The  newspapers  have  chronicled  many  cases  of 
sunstroke,  both  among  civilians  and  in  the  army, 
while  the  number  of  those  who  sigh  and  perspire 
under  the  infliction  of  the  sun's  rays  is  legion. 
How  does  the  heat  affect  people  clad  in  wool  and 
wearing  the  Sanatory  coat  ? 

According  to  my  own  experience,  and  to  the  com- 
munications received  from  others,  I  can  answer  that 


66  Summer  and  Winter  Clothing. 

the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  has  acquitted  itself 
splendidly.  Not  but  that  we,  too,  have  perspired, 
nor  that  we  perspired  much  less — assuredly  not 
more — than  others,  but  because  the  perspiring  is 
effected  much  more  easily  and  opportunely  ;  that 
is  to  say,  before  the  perilous  thickening  of  the  blood 
sets  in,  which  in  extreme  cases  causes  apoplectic 
fits.  Here  I  may  mention  that  it  is  a  mistake  to 
suppose  that  if  is  part  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  to  keep  on  the  coat  uninterruptedly,  even 
in  the  greatest  heat.  On  the  contrary,  a  follower  of 
the  System  may  do  that  which  people  with  the  ordi- 
nary style  of  clothing  hardly  dare  to  do. 

After  freely  perspiring,  the  coat  may  be  removed 
without  fear  of  the  consequences,  and  with  consid- 
erable refreshment.  This  is  a  privilege  which 
others  cannot  enjoy  for  fear  of  taking  colds. 

I  advise  wearers  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing 
not  to  seek  relief  in  unbuttoning  or  opening  their 
coats  when  the  heat  is  intense.  The  relief  is  only 
felt  at  first,  and  soon  changes  into  a  feeling  of  an 
opposite  character,  for  the  partial  cooling  along  the 
middle  line  of  the  chest  quickly  interferes  with  the 
body's  power  of  evaporation.  The  only  correct 
plan  is  either  to  take  the  coat  off,  or  to  retain  it 
closely  buttoned  up.  In  walking,  when  the  heat  is 
great,  it  is  distinctly  better  to  keep  the  coat  closely 
buttoned  up.  At  first  the  perspiration  will  pour 
out  freely,  although  it  will  soon  cease,  unless, 
indeed,  the  weather  be  excessively  sultry.  But 
when  the  destination  is  reached  the  coat  may  at 
once  be  removed,  thus  reversing  the  practice  of 
wearers  of  "vegetable  fiber"  clothing,  who  may 
march  in  their  shirt-sleeves,  but  must  put  on  their 


Summer  and  Winter  Clothing.  67 

coats  when  they  rest,  if  they  would  guard  against 
catching  cold. 

I  have  considered  the  question  of  summer  and 
winter  clothing  at  some  length,  and  have  found  that 
it  requires  something  more  than  an  off-hand  answer. 
If  we  turn  to  the  feathered  and  hairy  animals,  we 
shall  find  that  by  no  means  all  of  them  alternate 
light  summer  with  thick  winter  clothing. 

Among  hairy  animals,  otters,  beavers,  and  others 
that  are  amphibious  make  no  such  change;  neither 
do  the  genuine  inhabitants  of  the  desert;  for  I 
never  observed  anything  of  the  sort  among  the 
antelopes  and  wild  asses  at  the  Vienna  Zoological 
Gardens.  Lastly,  no  such  change,  as  a  rule,  takes 
place  with  birds.  Thus,  among  animals  provided 
with  a  special  vesture,  those  most  liable  to  exposure 
and  climatic  influences  do  not  vary  their  clothing 
with  the  seasons.  The  only  hairy  animals  with 
whom  the  change  is  really  marked  are  those  which 
live  in  the  woods  and  fields;  and  that  is  quite  in- 
telligible. 

When  the  woods  are  thick  with  foliage,  and  the . 
fields  stand  under  growing  crops,  these  animals  find 
themselves  no  longer  in  the  open  air,  but  buried  in 
the  covert,  and  surrounded  by  a  damp  atmosphere, 
which  greatly  impedes  the  evaporation  from  their 
bodies.  Nature  has  then  placed  these  animals 
under  a  covering  of  leaf  and  grass,  and  the  body 
naturally  endeavors  to  lighten  its  clothing.  When 
autumn  scatters  the  leafy  and  grassy  covering  the 
case  is  reversed,  for  then  heavier  coats  must  coun- 
teract the  exposure.  With  animals  not  liable  to 
such  alternations,  and  with  the  majority  of  birds, 
especially  those  always  on  the  wing,  this  change 
does  not  take  place. 


68  Summer  and  Winter  Clothing. 

In  our  climes,  civilized  man  must  be  compared 
with  the  birds  rather  than  with  the  animals  of  the 
field  or  forest.  For,  like  the  birds,  both  in  summer 
and  winter  he  is  in  the  open  air,  and  even  when 
indoors  he  is  surrounded  by  dry  walls,  and  not  by 
plants  constantly  throwing  off  watery  vapor. 
Therefore,  observation  of  the  animal  world  does 
not  teach  us  to  change  our  clothing  according  to 
the  season. 

The  answer  will  be  to  the  same  effect  if  we  con- 
sult men  leading  a  comparatively  natural  existence. 
The  shepherd  opines  "  that  which  is  good  for  cold 
protects  against  heat,"  and  puts  on  his  cloak  when 
he  feels  too  hot.  In  Hungarian  pasture-lands  the 
shepherds  wear  the  sheepskin  bunda  both  in  sum- 
mer and  winter,  with  the  difference  that  in  summer 
they  turn  the  woolly  side  outwards,  and  in  winter 
inwards. 

As  regards  my  own  experience,  last  summer  I 
wore  somewhat  thick  coats,  and  came  through  the 
heat  most  comfortably.  This  summer  I  passed  in 
a  lighter  dress,  but  I  perspired  much  more.  I  will 
not  positively  say  that  this  was  due  to  the  thinner 
coat,  for,  owing  to  the  excessive  moisture,  it  was  a 
very  "  perspiring"  summer,  but  the  above  expe- 
rience certainly  did  not  encourage  a  change  of 
coats  in  summer  and  winter. 

To  obtain  a  correct  view  of  the  matter,  I  ques- 
tioned other  wearers  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Cloth- 
ing, and  their  experience  coincided  exactly  with  my 
own.  At  times  they  perspired  considerably,  but 
decidedly  less  than  in  former  years,  and  with 
greatly  diminished  annoyance. 


T 


Inhaling  of  Dust.  69 

INHALING  OF  DUST. 

(1879-) 

HE  introduction  of  so-called  dust  to  the  respira- 
tory passages  is,  under  certain  circumstance,  a 
frequent  and  not  insignificant  cause  of  disease,  es- 
pecially when  the  body's  power  of  resistance  is  im- 
paired. I  may  instance  a  case  in  point,  which  is 
instructive,  as  showing  how  illness  may  originate, 
and  hence  what  precautionary  measures  should  be 
taken. 

Last  autumn  a  change  in  the  direction  of  my 
eldest  son's  studies  required  of  him  that  he  should 
overtake  class-mates  who  had  been  studying  Greek 
for  the  last  four  years,  whereas  he  had  done  no 
Greek  before.  Notwithstanding  my  endeavor  to 
meet  the  effects  of  this  strain  by  prescribing  spe- 
cially invigorating  diet;  notwithstanding,  too,  that 
my  son  wore  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing,  all  the 
symptoms  of  over-exertion  became  apparent :  di- 
minished mental  energy,  defective  memory,  loss  of 
equanimity,  bodily  exhaustion.  Another  instruct- 
ive symptom,  as  bearing  upon  my  former  elucida- 
tions of-  this  subject,  was  the  remarkable  diminution 
in  his  specific  weight.  At  the  end  of  the  autumn 
holidays  his  specific  gravity  had  amounted  to  1,111 
grams,  and  when  I  weighed  him  again  at  Christ- 
mas it  had  fallen  to  1,060.  This  low  bodily  condi- 
tion continued  through  the  winter  school  term,  and 
in  the  spring  the  following  occurred: 

My  little  garden  in  the  course  of  the  winter  had 
been  twice  dressed  with  liquid  manure,  and  when 


7<3  Inhaling  of  Dust. 

in  the  spring  we  set  about  digging  up  the  ground 
the  dry  weather  had  set  in.  The  clods  had  become 
as  hard  as  stones,  so  that  we  had  to  pulverize  them, 
which,  with  a  strong  east  wind  blowing,  raised  a 
great  quantity  of  dust.  Besides  myself,  my  eldest 
son  and  one  of  my  daughters  engaged  in  the  work, 
and  we  were  all  exposed  to  the  inhalation  of  this 
dust  highly  charged  with  manure.  The  conse- 
quence to  my  daughter  and  myself  was  a  some- 
what violent  and  obstinate  catarrh,  but  quite  unat- 
tended with  fever,  and  we  were  able  to  continue 
our  usual  avocations.  My  son,  however,  fell  ill 
with  a  species  of  severe  influenza,  and  was  com- 
pletely  prostrated  for  ten  days.  I  then  allowed  him 
ample  time  for  recovery,  and  his  convalescence 
proceeded  so  favorably  that  by  midsummer  his 
specific  gravity  had  risen  to  1,127  grams. 

This  case,  besides  bearing  out  my  dofctrine  of 
epidemic  immunity,  goes  to  show  that  the  same 
description  of  dust  which  will  produce  general  con- 
stitutional derangement  when  the  powers  of  resist- 
ance are  impaired,  will  only  excite  local  irritation 
in  the  air-passages  of  the  lungs  when  the  body  is 
properly  hardened.  Thus  the  condition  of  body 
procured  by  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  although 
it  may  not  afford  absolute  protection  against  the 
injurious  consequencs  of  dust  inhalation,  will  cer- 
tainly render  them  less  dangerous;  in  testimony 
whereof,  if  time  and  space  permitted,  I  might 
adduce  a  whole  series  of  further  observations. 

It  does  not  follow/,  however,  that  we  should  neg- 
lect the  removal  of  dust  from  contact  with  the 
atmosphere  which  we  breathe,  for  even  a  harmless 
catarrh  can  hardly  be  reckoned  among  the  pleasures 


Catarrh.  71 

of  existence  ;  while  continuous  inhalation  of  dust, 
such  as  people  in  certain  trades  are  exposed  to,  may 
effectually  sap  the  foundations  of  health.  Still, 
followers  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  need  feel 
no  more  apprehension  respecting  the  inhalation  of 
injurious  dust  than  they  feel  of  colds  and  epidem- 
ics. But  those  who,  in  despite  of  timely  warnings, 
obdurately  persist  in  clothing  their  bodies  in  vege- 
table fiber,  must  be  content  to  bear  the  ills  of  which 
they  deliberately  incur  the  risk. 

CATARRH. 

(1879.) 

TI7HEN  a  new,  practical  sanitary  measure  is  dis- 
covered, inquiry  must  be  made  not  only  as  to 
what  it  can  accomplish,  but  also  as  to  what  it  can- 
not accomplish.  I  mention  the  incident  which  I 
shall  presently  relate,  because  I  have  had  repeated 
proofs  that  a  very  general  preconception  stands 
in  the  way  of  a  clear  understanding  of  the  sub- 
ject of  catarrh. 

The  preconception  referred  to  consists  in  the 
belief  that  every  cough  and  cold  in  the  head  is 
directly  referable  to  what  is  called  catching  cold. 
If  that  were  so,  people  who  adopt  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  should  never  suffer  from  cough  or 
catarrh,  otherwise  my  contention  that  the  clothing 
renders  its  wearers  impervious  to  the  influence  of 
the  weather  would  be  incorrect. 

Repeated  experiments  have  clearly  shown  that 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  Clothing  System,  when 
properly  and  completely  carried  out,  does  protect 
against  chill.  As,  however,  the  experience  of  my- 


72  Catarrh. 

self  and  others  shows  that  cases  of  catarrh  will  oc- 
cur— generally  of  short  duration,  but  occasionally 
violent — I  have  investigated  each  instance  of  the 
kind  with  special  reference  to  its  cause. 

The  process  of  investigation  consists  in  examin- 
ing the  mucus  issuing  from  the  nose  or  mouth. 
In  such  examinations  I  have  generally  found  the 
cause  of  the  supposed  catarrh  in  the  shape  of  some 
intruded  foreign  body.  Either  corpuscles  were  di- 
rectly visible  to  the  naked  eye,  or  the  gray  color 
of  the  mucus  pointed  to  soot  or  smoke  inhalation, 
or  the  microscope  would  reveal  the  presence  of 
what  is  generally  termed  "dust." 

I  will,  however,  recount  a  particular  instance, 
because  it  illustrates  another  not  uncommon  pre- 
conception. 

During  my  holiday  tour  I  was  awakened  sud- 
denly one  night  by  a  violent  fit  of  coughing,  that 
lasted  for  fully  ten  minutes.  Eventually  I  coughed 
up  clear  mucus,  which  I  deposited  on  a  plate  that 
I  had  previously  wiped.  After  repeated  expectora- 
tion the  irritation  in  the  throat  moderated,  when  I 
again  lay  down.  On  looking  up  at  the  ceiling,  the 
air  in  that  direction  seemed  to  me  close  and  con- 
fined, and  the  inclination  to  cough  came  back 
again. 

This  was  a  sufficient  hint,  and  I  turned  my  head 
towards  where  the  fresh  air  was  streaming  in 
through  the  open  window,  when  I  was  soon  sound 
asleep  again.  Next  morning  I  discovered  that  the 
wall-paper  near  the  ceiling  was  mouldy,  and  in 
the  collected  mucus  I  could  distinctly  perceive 
gray  particles  of  dust.  Unfortunately  I  had  not  a 
magnifying  glass  by  me,  to  ascertain  decisively 


The  Shirt,  the  Trousers,  and  the  Hat.         73 

whether  these  were  of  the  nature  of  white  fungoid 
moulds. 

The  reader  may  possibly  ask  what  there  is  re- 
markable in  this  occurrence.  Everyone  knows 
that  people  will  cough  when  something  gets  into 
the  throat.  And  yet  the  case  is  worthy  of  remark, 
for  it  shows  how,  if  the  body  is  thoroughly  hard- 
ened, the  respiratory  organs  at  once,  and  power- 
fully, react  when  dust  is  inhaled,  and  continue  to 
do  so  until  the  disturbance  is  removed.  But  a  de- 
bilitated constitution  has  not  the  capacity  of  such 
reaction  ;  the  body  cannot  assist  by  means  of  the 
needful  secretion  of  mucus;  there  is  a  dry  cough 
for  two  or  three  days,  but  no  dislodgment  of  the 
disturbance,  and  when  the  flow  of  mucus  at  length 
sets  in,  the  organ  is  already  affected.  Those 
whose  bodies  are  hardened  by  the  Sanitary  Wool- 
en System  sneeze  and  cough  on  occasion  with 
great  force,  but  very  quickly  the  necessary  loosen- 
ing of  mucus  takes  place. 

Had  what  happened  to  me  in  that  hotel  befallen 
a  man  clothed  in  vegetable  fiber,  he  would  prob- 
ably have  contracted  a  thorough  catarrh,  and 
would  have  accounted  for  it  by  saying  that  he 
must  have  caught  a  cold  from  the  open  window. 

THE  SHIRT,  THE  TROUSERS,  AND  THE 
HAT. 

(1879.) 

rPHE    ordinary   form   of    shirt  —  not   of    double 
thickness  in  front,  and  opening  down  the  mid- 
dle— is  altogether  unsanatory,  especially  when  worn 
at    night,  or   not   under   the    closely  buttoned-up 


74         The  Shirt,  the  Trousers,  and  the  Hat. 

coat.  The  blood  recedes  from  the  skin,  and  if  this 
continue,  or  circumstances  be  otherwise  unfavor- 
able, the  constitution,  even  when  the  body  is  not 
actually  chilled,  will  suffer  a  loss  of  vigor  in  conse- 
quence of  diminished  cutaneous  action. 

I  have  therefore  caused  a  shirt  to  be  designed, 
which  is  of  double  material  over  the  chest  and 
downwards,  and  fastens  on  the  shoulder.  This 
pattern  supplies  a  sanatorily  perfect  shirt,  in  which 
people,  even  when  divested  of  their  coats,  and  un- 
der unfavorable  conditions,  may  go  about  in  safety, 
as  I  can  testify  from  numerous  experiments.  In 
devising  this  plan  and  shape,  I  also  considered  the 
female  sex,  who  attach  so  much  importance  to 
fashion  in  dress,  that  the  fundamental  principle  of 
the  double  covering  of  the  chest  can  only  be  cer- 
tainly secured  by  properly  constructed  chemises 
and  nightdresses.  As  regards  the  choice  of  fab- 
rics, after  very  careful  consideration,  I  gave  the 
preference  to  stockinet  webs.  They  are  more 
porous  and  supple,  and  on  that  account  more  dur- 
able, while  they  feel  more  comfortable  on  the  skin 
and  are  less  liable  to  shrink  than  flannel. 

As  to  the  trousers:  Until  very  lately  I  had  lim- 
ited my  instructions  to  the  recommendation  that 
they  should  be  made  of  woolen  material  only,  but 
various  observations  which  I  have  made  on  the 
subject  have  convinced  me  that  the  trousers  should 
fasten  so  as  to  continue  the  middle  line  of  extra 
warmth.  Nor  let  it  be  imagined  that  in  this  I  am 
merely  riding  a  hobby.  I  advise  every  one  to 
make  the  change,  especially  those  who  need  to 
melt  away  superfluous  fat,  or  persons  subject  to 
disorders  of  the  stomach  or  digestive  organs. 


Normal  Duration  of  Human  Life.          75 

As  regards  the  hat,  two  points  call  for  considera- 
tion. It  should  be  made  of  animal  fibers,  without 
lining  of  cotton,  or  linen,  or  leather  ;  but  instead 
of  the  latter,  a  strip  of  felt  should  be  inserted,  or 
else  the  hat  should  be  quite  devoid  of  lining,  like 
a  Turkish  fez.  (No  one  who  has  tried  the  woolen 
felt  lining  in  the  hat  will  care  to  revert  to  a  lining 
of  leather,)  Not  only  are  the  fashionable  hard 
hats  bad  on  account  of  their  imperviousness,  which 
checks  the  natural  evaporation  from  the  head,  but 
the  shellac  used  in  stiffening  them  has  an  injurious 
effect,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  cherry  gum 
employed  in  the  make  of  soft  beaver  hats  ;  old 
beaver  or  felt  hats  can  be  altered  to  conform  to 
the  principle  of  the  Sanatory  hat.  To  those  who 
are  bald  or  are  threatened  with  baldness,  or  pro- 
fusely perspire  at  the  head,  or  suffer  from  head- 
ache, I  especially  recommend  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
hat. 

NORMAL   DURATION   OF   HUMAN   LIFE. 

(1879.) 

A  FRENCH  naturalist  first  pointed  out  that  do- 
•  mesticated  animals  live  five  to  six  times  as 
long  as  the  time  required  to  grow  to  full  size.  A 
horse,  for  example,  is  fully  grown  in  four  years, 
and  remains  fit  for  work  up  to  the  twentieth  year, 
as  a  rule  ;  dogs  of  the  larger  breeds  grow  for  one- 
and-a-half  to  two  years,  and  live  to  the  tenth  year  ; 
and  the  same  law  obtains  among  other  hairy  ani- 
mals with  whom  we  can  estimate  the  limit  of  age. 

That  the  rule  also  holds  good  in  reference  to 
man  may  be  learned  from  tribes  living  in  a  wild 


76          Normal  Duration  of  Human  Life. 

state.  The  native  Australians,  for  instance,  per- 
haps the  most  perfect  specimens  of  men  in  a  natu- 
ral condition  still  extant,  reach  their  full  stature 
between  the  tenth  and  twelfth  years,  becoming 
old  at  from  fifty  to  sixty.  Properly  speaking,  they 
never  ail,  and  in  particular  are  free  from  epidemic 
disease,  their  life  being  such  as  to  have  an  espe- 
cially hardening  effect  on  the  body,  as  they  go  quite 
naked,  and  build  themselves  no  habitations. 

Considering,  therefore,  that  in  our  climes  full 
growth  is  attained  on  an  average  about  the  eight- 
eenth or  twentieth  year,  the  normal  termination  of 
life  should  take  place  at  the  ninetieth  or  hun- 
dredth year.  That  potentially  we  are  endowed 
with  such  longevity,  is  shown  by  the  isolated  ex- 
amples of  centenarians  of  both  sexes  met  with  in 
every  calling  and  every  country.  Consequently, 
putting  accidents  on  one  side,  we  must  conclude 
that  deaths,  when  occurring  at  a  less  advanced 
age,  are  the  direct  result  of  the  unnatural  mode  of 
life  adopted  by  civilized  man,  partly,  indeed,  on 
compulsion  and  without  any  fault  of  his,  but  to  a 
great  extent  from  ignorance  or  carelessness.  In 
some  cases  the  foundations  of  disease  are  laid  in 
childhood  by  improper  methods  of  rearing,  while 
in  others  a  debilitated  constitution  is  hereditary. 

It  is,  therefore,  evident  that  much  remains  to  be 
done  in  the  interest  of  a  national  system  of  health- 
culture,  both  publicly  and  individually  ;  and  it  is 
certainly  a  cheering  sign  of  the  times  that,  within 
the  last  decades  of  the  present  century,  this  im- 
portant task  has  been  taken  up  in  the  most  various 
quarters  in  a  manner  heretofore  unknown. 

Many  will  be  alarmed  at  the  idea  that  all,  or 


Diphtheria.  77 

even  a  large  percentage  of  mankind,  should  live  to 
so  great  an  age  ;  for,  as  it  is,  the  progressive  in- 
crease of  population  in  Germany  is  proportionally 
greater  than  that  of  the  supply  of  food. 

This  is,  so  far,  correct,  and  the  extraordinary 
prolongation  of  life  of  all  weakly  persons  might 
be  unfair  on  the  bread-winners,  who  must  support 
them.  But  if  health-culture  be  devoted  to  raising 
the  standard  of  working  capacity,  such  fears  will 
speedily  vanish.  To  the  man  who  is  capable  of 
work  and  whose  body  is  hardened,  the  whole 
world  lies  open  nowadays,  and  there  is  room  for 
the  further  dissemination  of  the  human  race  for 
centuries  yet  to  come. 

DIPHTHERIA. 
(1880.) 

H^HE  principle  which  obtains  among  students  of 
nature,  that  an  isolated  case  does  not  warrant 
general  conclusions,  is  perfectly  sound;  yet  when 
such  an  isolated  case  tallies  with  a  theory  supported 
by  a  whole  series  of  facts,  such  as  that  which  I  have 
put  forward  respecting  immunity  from  epidemics,  it 
is  not  without  weight. 

I  have  stated  my  conviction  that,  judging  from 
all  appearances,  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  should 
afford  protection  against  diphtheria.  And  a  case 
of  this  complaint,  lately  occurring  under  my  own 
roof,  confirms  the  accuracy  of  my  surmise. 

The  reader  may  remember  the  case  of  my  eldest 
son,  who,  owing  to  several  months'  severe  applica- 
tion to  study,  lost  specific  weight  in  a  very  remark- 
able degree,  and  then  contracted  influenza.  This 


78  Diphtheria. 

time  my  report  refers  to  my  youngest  boy,  six  years 
old,  whose  attendance  at  school  commenced  only 
last  October. 

As  with  most  young  birds  on  first  quitting  the 
nest,  the  new  life  proved  a  heavy  cross  to  him,  and 
for  weeks  there  was  weeping  and  wailing;  he  cried 
and  was  troubled  whenever  he  had  to  start  for 
school.  In  addition  I  must  mention  that  whereas 
his  classmates  had  had  a  year's  teaching  in  the 
infant-school,  and  could  therefore  read  and  write  a 
little,  my  boy  knew  absolutely  nothing,  and  conse- 
quently was  obliged  to  work  exceedingly  hard  to  get 
abreast  of  his  companions.  After  a  few  weeks  the 
same  symptoms  supervened  as  in  the  case  previously 
mentioned  of  my  eldest  son:  the  flesh  turned  flabby, 
he  complained  of  fatigue  after  a  quarter  of  an  hour's 
walk — whereas,  in  the  previous  summer,  he  had 
quite  manfully  walked  for  seven  hours  with  me  one 
day — was  peevish,  cried  often  and  long;  and  the 
exhalations  coming  from  him  were  almost  always 
offensive  ("  noxious"  principle). 

Last  week  he  began  to  cough,  and  when,  a  few 
days  after,  I  came  to  examine  him,  he  presented  a 
complete  case  of  diphtheria.  The  continuous  de- 
velopment of  the  "noxious"  principle  had  over- 
come the  influence  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System 
against  disease,  exactly  as  had  happened  in  the  case 
of  my  eldest  son.  Still  the  little  fellow  kept  up, 
and  an  attempt  of  my  wife's  to  make  him  stay  in 
bed  utterly  miscarried;  there  was  never  any  trace 
of  fever,  and  after  my  touching  up  the  throat  two 
or  three  times  the  child  was  quite  himself  again. 

Convinced  that  the  other  members  of  the  family 
would  enjoy  full  immunity  as  a  consequence  of  the 


Diphtheria.  79 

Sanitary  Woolen  System,  I  did  not  isolate  the  lad, 
but  merely  forbade  him  to  kiss  any  one.  Three 
days  after  I  had  discovered  diphtheria  in  the  boy, 
my  youngest  daughter,  nine  years  old,  complained 
of  a  tickling  sensation  in  the  throat.  An  examina- 
tion revealed  no  signs,  and  therefore  I  did  not  in- 
terfere. In  the  afternoon  she  said  she  felt  unwell, 
and  on  finding  her  slightly  feverish  I  sent  her  to  bed. 
A  few  hours  later  she  vomited  three  times  at  very 
brief  intervals.  Next  day  she  was  still  somewhat 
out  of  sorts,  and  I  now  ascertained  that  the  bowels 
had  not  been  moved  on  that  nor  on  the  previous 
day.  This  was  soon  remedied,  and  she  has  since 
been  perfectly  well.  No  one  else  in  the  family 
showed  any  signs  of  sickening  pn  this  occasion. 

From  the  above  case  I  believe  that  I  am  justified 
in  contending  that  diphtheria  is  subject  to  the  same 
law  as  cholera,  typhus,  the  plague,  dysentery,  and 
small-pox  ;  and  those  who  adopt  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System,  and  guard  against  excessive  men- 
tal exertion,  need  not  fear  infection,  or,  should  they 
take  it,  the  disease  will  be  mild  and  unattended 
with  danger. 

I  have  collected  similar  observations  with  refer- 
ence to  measles  and  chicken-pox.  In  these  cases 
the  disease  caused  no  derangement  of  the  general 
health,  and  passed  off  after  the  second  day. 


80  Cleanliness  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing. 


THE    CLEANLINESS    OF    THE    SANITARY 
WOOLEN    CLOTHING   SYSTEM. 

(1880.) 

^PHE  worst  description  of  dirt  is  that  which  is 
offensive  to  the  senses.  Linen  and  cotton, 
whether  worn  as  underclothing  or  used  for  coat 
linings,  etc.,  acquire  an  unpleasant  odor,  as  may 
easily  be  ascertained;  so  that  even  persons  who  put 
on  clean  shirts  every  day  must  continue  unclean  in 
one  respect,  for  the  coat-lining  cannot  be  washed, 
and  constantly  gives  off  its  offensive  smell.  The 
Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  need  inspire  no  fear  on 
the  score  of  cleanliness  in  this  respect,  as  it  acquires 
and  retains  a  pleasant  smell.  When  the  clothing 
has  been  worn  some  time  it  maybe  laid  in  the  sun, 
or  shut  up  with  camphor,  when  it  will  be  found  to 
have  parted  with  any  excess  of  emanations  which  it 
may  have  absorbed  from  the  body  through  lengthy 
wear. 

Then  there  is  the  dirt  that  takes  the  form  of  dust, 
which  settles  in  woolen  garments  more  readily  than 
in  others;  but  this  is  compensated  by  the  advantage 
that  it  can  also  be  more  easily  removed.  A  linen 
dress  covered  with  dust  must  go  to  the  wash,  where- 
as brushing  and  beating  will  take  out  all  the  dust  in 
woolen  clothing. 

Dirt  in  the  form  of  grease  from  the  animal  fat 
secreted  by  the  skin  only  presents  itself  if  the  Sana- 
tory Woolen  shirt  be  worn  for  an  unduly  long 
period,  because  it  does  not  take  up  and  fix  cutaneous 
secretions  with  the  same  tenacity  as  linen  or  cotton 


The  Collar.  81 

shirts.  This  brings  me  to  consider  the  dirt  that 
accumulates  on  the  skin.  In  this  respect  woolen 
shirts  are  truly  incomparable.  Whereas  shirts  made 
of  vegetable-fiber  material  attract  all  the  dirt  of  the 
skin,  converting  it  into  a  species  of  grease  to  be 
again  deposited  in  a  crust,  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
shirts  brush  off  the  dirt  in  the  form  of  dry  dust 
so  thoroughly  that,  in  a  fairly  pure  atmosphere,  the 
body  looks  and  is  as  clean  as  though  fresh  from  the 
bath. 

To  sum  up,  everyone  is  unclean  who  neglects  to 
wash  when  dirty,  but  everyone  is  clean  who  avoids 
dirt ;  and,  as  the  body  collects  much  less  dirt  in  the 
Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  than  in  cotton  or  linen, 
the  inference  is  clear  that,  other  conditions  being 
equal,  wearers  of  the  former  are  much  cleaner  than 
those  who  adhere  to  material  made  from  vegetable 
fiber. 

THE   COLLAR. 

(1880.) 

TN  this  matter  my  experience  has  been  somewhat 
singular.  It  is  an  old  maxim,  especially  of  anx- 
ious mothers,  that  the  neck  should  be  well  protected, 
and  many  people  would  sooner  go  barefoot  than 
without  some  protection  to  the  neck. 

I  had  never  paid  much  attention  to  the  subject, 
although  I  have  had  considerable  trouble  with  the 
throat  at  one  time  or  another  in  my  life,  but  when  I 
discovered  the  principle  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem I  assumed  that  the  throat  required  no  special 
care,  and  I  therefore  discontinued  wearing  a  necker- 
chief. Nor  did  I  make  any  difference  on  account 


82  The  Collar. 

of  sundry  ailments  of  the  throat  from  which  I  have 
suffered  within  the  last  year  and  a  half;  because 
such  affections  recurred  at  much  greater  intervals, 
and  were  milder  in  character  than  formerly,  except 
one  particularly  obstinate  cold  caught  last  spring. 
Over  this  I  pondered  a  good  deal,  for  it  permanently 
injured  my  voice  and  thereby  greatly  interfered  with 
my  chief  pleasure — sitting  down  at  home  to  the 
piano  and  singing  a  song.  Since  last  spring  the 
voice  had  retained  a  persistent  hoarseness,  the 
higher  notes  became  impossible  at  times,  and  it 
frequently  broke  down  altogether. 

My  attention  was  first  directed  to  the  subject  of 
the  clothing  of  the  neck  when  I  discovered  that,  in 
contradistinction  to  the  Sanatory  Woolen  shirt,  my 
linen  collar  very  soon  became  malodorous.  From 
that  moment  I  regarded  the  linen  collar  as  an  un- 
clean thing,  and  considered  how  it  could  be  replaced 
by  a  woolen  substitute. 

Frequent  inquiries  which  I  received  encouraged 
me  in  the  prosecution  of  my  purpose,  but  I  regarded 
the  whole  thing  as  rather  insignificant,  and  when  I 
first  put  on  my  woolen  neck-covering,  consisting  of 
a  cloth  cravat  and  a  white  cashmere  collar,  I  felt 
disposed  to  laugh  at  myself  for  riding  a  hobby,  but 
was  pleased  to  find  that  the  contrivance  did  not 
look  unsightly.  Of  course  I  at  once  felt  the  comfort 
of  the  wool,  but  I  did  not  foresee  anything  more. 

On  the  very  next  day,  however,  I  felt  that  the 
condition  of  my  throat  had  much  improved,  and 
from  time  to  time  I  expectorated  loose  phlegm  with- 
out cough  or  effort  of  any  kind.  When,  some  days 
after,  I  first  attempted  to  sing  again,  my  daughter 
remarked  that  my  voice  sounded  plainer  and  clearer 


The  Collar.  83 

than  ever.  I  had  noticed  it  myself,  without  attach- 
ing any  particular  importance  to  the  change,  because 
it  formerly  occasionally  varied  from  better  to  worse. 
A  few  days  later  I  again  tried,  and  my  voice  was,  at 
the  first  song,  as  clear  as  it  had  ever  been  after  a 
quarter  of  an  hour's  preliminary  practice.  This 
was  quite  a  new  experience;  but  it  did  not  stop 
there,  for  I  found  that  my  voice  had  attained  an  in- 
creased compass. 

At  my  best,  G  had  been  the  highest  chest  note, 
and  in  falsetto  C;  whereas  now  B  came  easily  from 
the  chest,  and  in  falsetto  E,  which  I  had  never  been 
able  to  accomplish  formerly.  The  cleansing  or 
clearing  of  the  throat  by  the  secretion  of  mucus 
continued,  and  there  was  no  further  disturbance, 
the  voice  remaining  uniformly  good,  whereas  in 
former  days,  even  prior  to  that  excessively  bad  cold, 
it  was  constantly  uneven. 

Perspiration  is  freely  exuded  at  the  point  where 
the  collar  touches  the  neck,  and  the  linen  collar, 
which  readily  takes  up  moisture,  whether  of  per- 
spiration or  of  the  atmosphere,  becomes  in  conse- 
quence damp  and  chilly,  and  a  common  source  of 
throat  disorders.  It  is  therefore  of  the  highest  im- 
portance to  clothe  the  neck  with  material,  such  as 
animal  wool,  which  will  not  set  up  a  chill;  and  this 
is  recognized  by  the  frequent  use  of  woolen  wrap- 
pers and  comforters.  The  latter,  however,  may  be 
dispensed  with  by  adopting  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
collar  and  cravat;  and  I  strongly  recommend  every 
one,  in  the  interest  of  his  throat,  to  make  the 
change. 


84       Silk — Is  Woolen  Clothing  Weakening? 


SILK. 

(1880.) 

T  HAVE  been  often  asked  to  express  an  opinion 
on  silk  dresses,  etc.  After  a  careful  investiga- 
tion of  the  properties  of  silk  I  have  been  forced  to 
the  conclusion  that,  as  touching  the  main  point — - 
its  relation  to  the  odorous  principles — it  occupies 
the  same  position  as  vegetable  fiber  fabrics. 

IS  WOOLEN  CLOTHING  WEAKENING? 

(1880.) 

f  HAVE  been  asked  by  one  who  desires  to  adopt 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  whether  he  can, 
without  danger,  continue  to  take  a  cold  bath  every 
morning.* 

As  this  inquiry  shows  how  deep-rooted  is  the 
prejudice  which  ascribes  weakening  effects  to  the 
wearing  of  wool,  I  will  take  the  opportunity  of  dis- 
cussing the  misapprehension  indicated  in  the  above 
heading. 

This  prejudice  is  founded  upon  the  fact  that  a 
person  who  has  worn  a  woolen  shirt  beneath  the 
customary  clothing  of  mixed  materials,  and  who 
substitutes  for  it  a  linen  or  cotton  shirt  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  warm  season,  very  easily  catches 
cold.  The  simple  explanation  is,  that  the  action  of 
the  wool  accustoms  the  body  to  a  certain  distribution 
of  the  blood — that  is  to  say,  more  blood  circulates 
on  the  surface  and  less  internally.  Linen  or  cotton 
*  See  "Cold  Baths,"  p.  122. 


Is  Woolen  Clothing  Weakening?  85 

clothing  has  a  contrary  effect,  as  it  drives  the  blood 
from  the  skin  inwards,  thereby  creating  a  very 
important  disturbance  in  the  condition  of  the  pre- 
viously subsisting  equilibrium.  The  delinquent, 
however,  is  obviously  not  the  woolen,  but  the  white 
shirt,  whence  it  plainly  follows  that  the  woolen 
shirt  should  be  permanently  retained.  I  shall  be 
asked  why  such  simple  reasoning  has  hitherto  been 
generally  overlooked.  The  answer  is,  that  whe-n  at 
the  commencement  of  summer  woolen  shirts  were 
felt  to  be  hot,  no  other  remedy  was  thought  of  than 
to  lay  them  aside  until  the  following  winter.  Here, 
again,  this  feeling  of  oppressiveness  was  not  caused 
by  the  woolen  shirts,  but  by  the  cotton  or  linen 
linings  to  the  coat  and  waistcoat.  I  discovered 
that  these  must  be  banished  from  the  coat.  When 
I  first  determined  to  wear  my  winter  coat  and 
woolen  shirt  through  the  summer,  I  found  them  in- 
conveniently hot,  and  I  hit  upon  the  idea  to  cut  out 
the  linings  of  the  coat,  instead  of  laying  aside  the 
woolen  shirt;  with  that  Columbus'  egg  was  made 
to  stand. 

The  effect  of  wool  is  the  exact  reverse  of  weaken- 
ing; wool  hardens  the  body,  but  only  on  condition 
that  it  is  in  sole  possession.  By  overlaying  a  woolen 
shirt  with  vegetable  fibre  in  the  shape  of  coat  lin- 
ings, we  produce  a  similar  deadlock  as  by  harness- 
ing horses  at  both  ends  of  a  cart.  The  vehicle  will 
not  budge.  Half-and-half  woolen  clothing  does 
not  harden  the  body,  and  if  its  wearer,  in  his 
"untrained"  condition,  exchange  the  Sanatory 
Woolen  shirt  for  a  white  one,  he  will  be  fortunate 
in  escaping  without  an  illness  during  the  stage  of 
transition, 


86  The  Curative  Power  of  Wool. 

The  body  of  a  man  clothed  all  in  wool  is  strong 
and  hardened.  If  he  undress  in  cold  weather,  the 
blood,  driven  for  a  moment  from  the  surface  to- 
wards the  interior,  promptly  returns  to  the  skin, 
affording  the  necessary  resistance  to  the  cold. 

THE  CURATIVE  POWER  OF  WOOL. 

(1880.) 

TTITHERTO,  discussion  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  has  been  confined  to  its  preventive 
virtues,  and  to  its  relation  to  the  sense  of  health 
and  capacity  for  work,  mental  and  physical.  Recent 
experience,  however,  has  distinctly  shown  it  to  pos- 
sess curative  power  in  a  quite  unexpected  degree. 

My  reason  for  refraining  so  far  from  publishing 
such  experiences,  in  spite  of  many  requests  that  I 
would  do  so,  has  been  a  reluctance  to  expose  myself 
to  the  risk  of  being  reviled  as  a  quack  doctor,  pre- 
tending to  work  miraculous  cures  with  a  universal 
panacea.  For  the  same  reason  I  now  refrain  from 
instancing  particular  cases  and  maladies  by  name, 
and  treat  of  the  subject  merely  in  general  terms. 
Intelligent  readers  will  not  fail  to  extract  from  my 
remarks  that  which  may  be  useful  to  them. 

It  is  well  known  that  in  sickness  the  exhalations 
are  offensive  as  compared  with  those  given  off  in 
health.  A  second  fact,  noticed  in  my  researches, 
and  now  fully  substantiated,  is  that  the  feeling  of 
indisposition,  or  generally  deranged  condition,  is 
caused  by  the  presence  of  "  noxious"  exhalations, 
and  if  these  can  be  dispelled  the  indisposition  is 
removed. 

A  third  fact  is  that  the  most  effectual  and  safe 


The  Curative  Poiver  of  Wool.  87 

means  for  the  dissipation  of  such  exhalations  is  an 
abundant  cutaneous  evaporation,  aided  by  clothing 
that  will  not  hold  offensive  emanations.  The  Sana- 
tory Woolen  Clothing  supplies  both  these  desiderata; 
hence  it  is  a  remedial  agent  in  every  general  consti- 
tutional derangement,  and  permanently  renders  the 
service  which  is  sought  from  cold  water  cures, 
Turkish  baths,  gymnastics,  etc.,  where  the  object 
aimed  at  is,  in  reality,  the  promotion  of  cutaneous 
evaporation,  which,  however,  when  thus  procured, 
can  only  be  temporary. 

A  familiar  mode  of  treatment  in  the  removal  of 
solid  or  fluid  morbific  deposits  from  the  body,  is 
that  which  doctors  term  counter-irritation,  wherein 
it  is  endeavored,  by  the  most  various  means,  to  bring 
out  the  disease  through  the  skin.  The  Sanatory 
Woolen  Clothing  does  this  most  effectually,  be- 
cause it  permanently  establishes  a  more  abundant 
blood-supply  over  the  entire  integumentary  surface; 
and  in  this  diversion  of  the  blood  in  an  outward 
direction,  relieving  the  internal  pressure,  wearers 
of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  may  find  an  ex- 
planation of  the  reduction  of  accumulated  fat  which 
they  soon  experience.  Now  that  which  applies  to 
excess  of  fat  holds  good  of  other  useless  deposits  in 
the  body* 

There  is,  further,  a  series  of  internal  disorders — 
especially  of  the  abdominal  organs — which,  if  not 
directly  caused  by,  are  yet  associated  with,  an  ab- 
normal distribution  of  the  blood,  that  is  to  say,  an 
inordinate  determination  of  blood  to  these  organs. 
The  Sanitary  Woolen  System  is  also  highly  benefi- 
cial in  these  cases,  by  attracting  the  blood  to  the 
skin,  thus  relieving  the  internal  parts  of  the  body. 


88  The  Curative  Power  of  Wool. 

On  the  other  hand,  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing 
retains  those  "  salutary"  emanations  of  the  body 
which  induce  a  sense  of  vigor  and  sound  health. 
These  constitute  the  most  energetic  and  certainly 
the  most  wholesome  of  remedial  agents;  and  may  be 
not  inaptly  termed  the  body's  "  inherent  medicine." 
The  best  drugs  which  chemists  supply  do  not  agree 
with  every  patient,  because  constitutions  differ.  A 
doctor  who  is  unmindful  of  this  law,  and  neglects 
to  study  the  constitutions  of  his  patients,  runs  the 
risk  of  working  much  mischief.  No  such  risk  at- 
taches to  the  "  body's  inherent  medicine  ;"  it  is  that 
element  which  in  medical  schools  formerly  went  by 
the  name  of  vis  medicatrix  natures,  or  nature's  healing 
power,  anS  to  which  the  physician  appeals  when  art 
no  longer  avails  to  save  a  patient.  I  have  explained 
that  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  collects  and 
stores  up  this  healing  power  of  nature,  an  instance 
of  the  popular  faith  in  which,  is  the  practice  among 
the  poorer  classes  of  taking  off  a  woolen  stocking 
to  wrap  it  round  the  neck  in  cases  of  sore  throat. 

In  most  instances  the  change  from  ordinary  to 
Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  proceeds  quite  smoothly, 
but  in  several  cases  which  have  come  to  my  knowl- 
edge, it  has  been  attended  with  the  appearance  of 
what  may  be  termed  a  "  crisis,"  *  which  is  the  effort 
of  nature  to  expel  from  the  body  any  disease  located 
in  it.  Under  the  stimulus  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
Clothing  the  skin  exudes  copiously  "  noxious"  per- 
spiration, which  again  subsides,  leaving  behind  a 
most  pleasant  sense  of  health  and  comfort.  The 
practice  of  sleeping  with  the  window  open  in  all 
weathers,  which  should  never  be  relaxed,  is  espe- 
*See  "The  Crisis  of  Disease/'  page  101, 


The  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  Reform.       89 

cially  valuable  during  a  "crisis,"  as  it  assists  the 
free  dispersion  of  the  "  noxious"  emanations  which 
the  body  exhales. 

In  short,  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Clothing  is  a  cura- 
tive agency  as  powerful  and  effectual  as  any  of  the 
so-called  constitutional  methods  of  treatment.  In 
cases  of  dyscrasia,  where  distempered  humors  have 
to  be  dispersed,  crises  of  a  more  important  char- 
acter may  take  place,  as  in  other  methods  of  cure. 
But  it  would  be  folly  to  be  discouraged  on  this  ac- 
count, and  to  relinquish  a  remedy  which  will  be 
permanent  if  the  System  be  adhered  to. 

PROGRESS  OF  THE  SANATORY  WOOLEN 
CLOTHING  REFORM. 

(1880.) 

TN  the  prosecution  of  this  far-reaching  reform  it 
is  necessary  to  be  ever  on  the  watch  to  combat 
and  refute  prejudices,  due  to  the  hitherto  sanc- 
tioned modes  of  dress  and  hygienic  tenets;  to  neu- 
tralize the  effect  of  the  opposition  which  proceeds 
from  those  interested  in  the  linen  and  cotton  indus- 
tries; and  to  correct  constant  mistakes  made  by 
the  general  public  in  their  adoption  and  practical 
utilization  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  refera- 
ble to  imperfect  apprehension  of  the  subject. 

It  may  interest  my  readers  if  I  here  give  a  sum- 
mary of  what  has  so  far  (1880)  been  achieved. 
Introduced  two  years  ago,  my  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  has  already  taken  root  in  all  European 
countries,  as  well  as  in  the  United  States,  partic- 
ularly in  Germany,  Austria,  and  Finland,  where, 
in  every  town  of  any  size  and  importance,  many 
7 


90       The  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  Reform. 

now  wear  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing.  Of 
course,  the  greatest  progress  has  been  made  in  my 
own  Swabian  district,  where,  by  means  of  lectures 
delivered  in  the  chief  towns,  I  have  succeeded  in 
firmly  establishing  the  superiority  of  the  new  sys- 
tem of  dress  to  that  of  the  old.  Next  to  Swabia, 
Bavaria  ranks  foremost,  while  in  the  North  Ger- 
man States,  I  understand  it  is  in  Hamburg  that 
the  System  has  found  most  adherents. 

With  the  extensive  experience  thus  acquired,  ob- 
jectionable features  of  the  original  designs  for  the 
various  articles  of  clothing  have  been  eliminated, 
and  difficulties  connected  with  the  choice  of  ma- 
terial, nature  of  web,  greater  or  lesser  thickness, 
cut  and  make,  etc.,  have  been  overcome.  I  will 
not  assert  that  nothing  further  remains  to  be  done 
on  these  various  points,  but  much  progress  has 
been  made  and  improvements  have  been  intro- 
duced. 

Extensive  experience,  too,  enables  me  to  state 
that  the  beneficial  effects  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System,  as  originally  tested  upon  a  comparatively 
small  number  of  persons,  which  I  summed  up  as 
power  of  resistance  to  weather,  disease,  and  the 
effects  of  the  emotions,  together  with  an  important 
enhancement  of  the  mental  and  physical  capacities, 
can  be  secured  by  persons  of  both  sexes  of  every 
age  and  calling;  provided  they  will  follow  the 
three  rules  in  conjunction,  namely  to  wear  the 
Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing,  to  sleep  in  and  on 
wool,  and  to  keep  the  bedroom  window  open  at 
night. 

Objections  raised  against  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System,  such  as  danger  of  uncleanliness,  its  debili- 


The  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  Reform.      91 

tating  effects,  its  impracticability  in  the  hot  season 
of  the  year,  have  not  only  been  shown  to  be  theo- 
retically untenable,  upon  grounds  intelligible  to 
every  one  with  the  least  claim  to  technical  knowl- 
edge, but  have  also  been  disproved  by  the  evidence 
of  well  established  facts. 

I  would  ask  impartial  readers  to  note  that  I  do 
not  desire  that  the  truth  of  my  statements  be  taken 
for  granted;  but  that  a  thorough  and  fair  trial 
should  be  made  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System, 
uninfluenced  by  long-established  custom  or  prej- 
udice. Especially  would  I  caution  the  public 
against  coats  not  made  throughout  of  pure  woolen 
material.  Readers  will  be  astonished  if  they  ex- 
amine the  interior  of  their  coats,  at  the  quantity  of 
evil-smelling  rubbish,  especially  when  damp,  which 
they  will  find  there. 

My  attention  has  been  drawn  on  more  than  one 
occasion  by  experts  in  the  wool  trade  to  the  fact 
that,  besides  interweaving  entire  cotton  yarns  in 
the  fabric  of  buckskins  or  other  stuffs,  which  is 
easily  detected,  many  more  fraudulent  practices  are 
resorted  to,  such  as  spinning  cotton  together  with 
the  wool,  so  as  to  increase  the  tenacity  of  the  yarn, 
and  thereby  facilitate  the  process  of  working  in 
considerable  quantities  of  the  cheaper  short-stapled 
wools.  My  informants  added  that  as  the  per- 
centage of  intruded  cotton  is  small,  the  imposture 
is  undiscernible  by  the  naked  eye,  and  hence  such 
stuffs  are  frequently  palmed  off  upon  buyers  as  all- 
wool  material.  That  the  above  statements  are 
perfectly  correct,  I  lately  had  very  striking  proof, 
I  examined  under  the  microscope  thirty-six  cut- 
tings of  buckskins,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  highly 


92     Variations  of  Temperature,  and  Sunstroke. 

experienced  men  of  business,  were  pure,  all-wool 
cloth,  and  I  found  six  of  these  cuttings — or  about 
seventeen  per  cent,  contained  some  admixture  of 
cotton.  True,  it  did  not  exceed  one  or  two  per 
cent,  but  it  had  escaped  observation.  If  the  al- 
cohol in  wine  contains  one  per  cent  of  fusel  oil, 
the  wine  is  unwholesome;  or  if  a  pastrycook  uses 
in  one  baking  a  hundred  eggs,  and  only  one  of  the 
hundred  is  addled,  the  whole  baking  is  tainted. 
Woolen  material  adulterated  with  ever  so  little 
vegetable  fiber  is  an  analogous  case. 

VARIATIONS  OF  TEMPERATURE,  AND 
SUNSTROKE. 

(1880.) 

TN  No.  212  of  the  Neue  Zilricher  Zeitung  Dr.  MAY- 
ENFISCH  writes,  in  an  article  on  "  Mountain  Cli- 
mate," as  follows:  "  Many  think  to  harden  the 
body  by  seeking  to  do  without  extra  clothing  in 
the  cooler  hours  of  the  morning  and  evening,  but 
this  folly  must  be  dearly  paid  for.  The  skin  pro- 
motes or  checks  the  evolution  of  heat  in  sympathy 
with  the  surrounding  temperature;  but  as  it  can- 
not adapt  itself  to  sudden  leaps  and  bounds  of 
temperature  it  must  be  assisted  by  the  clothing. 
When  the  temperature  is  low  the  clothing  should 
be  warmer,  while  in  high  temperatures  lighter 
garments  should  be  worn,  which,  too,  may  be 
loosened  and  opened  to  facilitate  the  throwing  off 
of  heat.  The  impediment  to  this  function  offered 
by  the  closely-buttoned  military  uniform,  when 
troops  are  massed  in  columns,  and  the  consequent 
accumulation  of  heat  in  the  body,  cause  the  fre- 


Variations  of  Temperature,  and  Sunstroke.     93 

quent  cases  of  sunstroke  witnessed  on  the  march  or 
on  parade.  Let  every  one,  therefore,  put  on  warmer 
clothing  in  the  early  morning  and  after  sunset." 

I  will  now  express  my  view  on  the  subject.  The 
statistics  for  the  whole  German  army,  on  which  I 
based  my  researches  on  the  preservation  of  health, 
embrace  a  period  of  six  and  a  quarter  years,  and 
these  instructive  returns  go  to  show  that,  among 
an  equal  number  of  men,  the  deaths  from  sun- 
stroke were  thirty-four  among  recruits,  twenty 
among  soldiers  of  two  years'  service,  and  only  six 
among  three  years'  service  men.  Hence  it  would 
appear  that,  apart  from  the  buttoned  uniforms, 
massed  columns,  and  consequent  heat — the  causes 
of  sunstroke,  according  to  Dr.  MAYENFISCH — an- 
other very  material  element  must  be  taken  into 
account,  viz.,  the  degree  to  which  the  body  is 
hardened. 

The  probability  of  a  fatal  sunstroke  with  a  thor- 
oughly seasoned  soldier  of  three  years'  standing  is 
six  times  less  than  with  a  recruit.  If,  therefore, 
the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  have  the  effect  of 
hardening  the  body,  it  must  protect  against  sun- 
stroke. Some  cases  of  sunstroke  occurred  in  our 
Wiirtemberg  Army  Corps  in  the  middle  of  last 
August.  On  the  very  day  of  these  casualties — a 
day  of  most  intense  heat — a  party  consisting  of 
myself,  my  wife,  my  boy  (six  years  old),  and  my 
son-in-law,  walked  from  half-past  nine  to  twelve 
o'clock  to  the  Federsee  Lake,  along  the  Schussenried 
and  Buchau  road,  entirely  without  shade.  We 
went  on  the  lake  in  a  boat  during  the  hottest  part 
of  the  day — two  till  half-past  four  o'clock — exposed 
to  the  scorching  rays  of  two  suns,  one  from  above, 


94  The  Woolen  Glove,  and  Stings. 

and  the  other  reflected  in  the  water,  my  son-in-law 
and  myself  rowing  nearly  all  the  time.  We  went 
through  the  day  in  high  spirits,  the  holiday  mood 
never  forsaking  us  for  a  moment,  and  in  the  even- 
ing returned  home  on  foot  by  the  same  road,  after 
a  most  enjoyable  excursion. 

In  the  case  of  wearers  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
Clothing,  the  limits  referred  to  by  Dr.  MAYENFISCH, 
between  which  the  skin  can  perform  its  function  of 
heat  evolution,  are  very  much  enlarged,  so  that 
only  those  whose  bodies  are  clothed  on  wrong  prin- 
ciple need  lay  to  heart  the  advice  about  morning 
and  evening  dress.  The  former,  if  so  minded,  may 
reverse  the  usual  order  without  incurring  risk. 
They  may  walk  with  coats  buttoned  up  in  the 
hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  may  enjoy  the  German 
national  game  of  skittles  in  the  evening,  in  the 
draughtiest  situation,  playing  in  their  shirt-sleeves; 
in  fact,  that  is  just  what  I  did  myself  on  our  return 
to  Schussenried  on  the  occasion  referred  to. 

THE  WOOLEN  GLOVE,  AND  STINGS. 

(1880.) 

A  MONG  the  fruits  of  a  foot  tour  just  brought  to 
a  close  is  an  observation  in  respect  of  stinging 
flies;  and  since  the  newspapers  periodically  fill  the 
air  with  lamentations  about  the  mosquitoes,  I  need 
make  no  apology  for  here  communicating  my  ex- 
perience. 

Not  every  one  is  alike  sensitive  to  the  stings  of 
gadflies  and  gnats.  I  myself  belong  in  a  very 
special  manner  to  the  sensitive  class.  On  the  spot 
wnere  the  sting  is  inflicted  there  rises  an  itching 


The  Woolen  Glove,  and  Stings.  95 

tumor  which  plagues  me  for  weeks.  Two  years 
ago  I  noticed  that  the  swelling,  together  with  the 
itching  sensation,  very  soon  disappeared  if  the 
wound  were  scratched  with  a  small  knife,  suffi- 
ciently to  draw  a  drop  or  two  of  blood.  Obtaining 
the  same  relief  on  several  subsequent  occasions,  I 
have  since  made  a  point  in  summer  time,  as  soon  as 
the  flies  make  their  appearance,  to  carry  a  vaccina- 
tor's  lancet  for  the  purpose.  This  year  I  have  dis- 
covered another  remedy. 

First  I  was  stung  in  the  hand  by  gadflies  three 
times  in  rapid  succession,  on  my  return  journey 
home  from  Hohenheim.  Simply  with  the  idea  of 
avoiding  further  stings  I  pulled  on  my  woolen 
gloves.  To  my  surprise  the  itching  sensation  was 
allayed  in  a  minute  or  two,  and  the  trouble  was  at 
an  end. 

On  our  pedestrian  excursion  I  had  further  oppor- 
tunities of  observing  the  like  effects,  three  times 
upon  my  own  person,  once  on  my  daughter.  My 
wife  and  daughter,  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
wearing  cotton  gloves  in  summer,  assured  me  that 
a  gadfly  or  gnat,  stinging  through  a  cotton  glove, 
inflicts  very  great  pain  indeed.  This  reminded  me 
that  I  had  also  suffered  greatly  when  stung  through 
the  white  linen  trousers  of  former  days. 

On  another  occasion  I  struck  my  hand  against  a 
stinging-nettle,  and  as  this,  too,  causes  me  very 
great  annoyance,  I  bethought  me  of  my  woolen 
gloves,  with  the  same  excellent  result.  Gnats  paid 
us  a  visit  on  two  nights  during  our  travels;  several 
of  us  heard  them  buzzing,  felt  the  sting,  and  found 
the  swelling  in  the  morning.  I  had  six  lumps  on 
the  legs,  which  were  very  troublesome  and  much 


96  The  Woolen  Glove,  and  Stings. 

swollen;  but  scarcely  had  I  put  on  my  closely- 
fitting  woolen  breeches  when  lumps  and  itching 
had  gone.  Such  close-fitting  breeches,  made  of 
stockinet,  are  quite  as  good  a  remedy  and  pro- 
tection against  stings  as  woolen  gloves.  Loose 
trousers,  made  of  cloth  or  buckskin,  cannot  act  in 
the  same  way,  in  spite  of  the  woolen  material,  be- 
cause they  move  backwards  and  forwards,  and  thus 
irritate  the  wound.  Stockinet  cloth  breeches,  on 
the  contrary,  cling  tightly,  and  therefore  do  not  rub 
against  the  part  which  has  been  stung. 

(To  the  foregoing  may  be  added  that  bee-keepers 
have  testified  to  the  protection  afforded  by  woolen 
gloves  in  cases  of  stinging.) 

Thus,  in  a  field  of  observation  which  I  should 
never  have  imagined  would  repay  the  trouble  of 
thought  or  study,  is  again  clearly  revealed,  on  the 
one  hand  the  remedial  protecting  virtue  of  wool, 
and  on  the  other  the  baneful  effects  of  cotton.  Now, 
too,  I  was  reminded  of  something  which  had  always 
been  a  mystery  to  me.  Whereas  gadfly  stings  raise 
great  bumps  on  human  beings,  which  itch  and 
smart  for  days,  upon  cattle,  that  are  at  times  stung 
by  swarms  of  these  flies  so  as  to  be  covered  with 
blood-drops,  no  bumps  are  seen,  nor  movements 
denoting  itching  or  desire  to  rub  themselves;  as 
soon  as  the  gadflies  are  gone  the  animal  stands  per- 
fectly still.  Various  explanations  may  be  sug- 
gested, but  the  facts  are  there  to  speak  for  them- 
selves. 

An  extension  of  the  clothing  reform  to  the  gloves 
will  confer  a  very  distinct  benefit,  and  the  use  of  the 
Sanatory  Woolen  gloves  may  be  recommended  to 
every  one  who  is  dissatisfied  with  the  condition  of 
the  hands* 


Patents  and  Royalties.  97 


PATENTS  AND  ROYALTIES. 

(1880.) 

A  CORRESPONDENT  has  written  to  me: 
"  Frequently  when  I  argue  with  others,  the 
answer  is  to  the  following  effect:  '  No  doubt  there 
is  something  to  be  said  for  it,  yet  I  cannot  bring 
myself  to  put  faith  in  the  System  as  you  do;  be- 
sides, Dr.  Jaeger  is  so  keen  on  the  subject  of  Wool- 
en clothing  simply  as  a  matter  of  business;  for  he 
gets  a  percentage  from  every  one  of  the  woolen 
drapers  and  manufacturers."1 

'The  first  condition  imposed  by  manufacturers  in 
taking  up  specialties,  is  protection  by  patents  or 
registered  designs.  It  is  only  under  such  pro- 
tection that  a  man  of  business  will  feel  encouraged 
to  incur  the  initial  loss  involved  in  the  make  and 
introduction  of  new  articles,  and  subsequently  to 
constitute  them  an  exclusive  feature  of  his  trade. 
Without  patents,  competitors  will  at  once  begin  to 
make  and  sell  goods  for  which  an  opening  has 
been  secured,  and  the  originator  will  be  damaged, 
if  not  ruined. 

Inventors  who  present  their  discoveries  free, 
benefit  no  one,  but  do  harm  to  everybody  con- 
cerned. Firstly,  the  cause  sustains  damage,  for  it 
cannot  be  properly  advanced;  secondly,  consumers 
suffer,  since  they  can  never  procure  the  article  on 
reasonable  terms — with  due  regard  to  quality  and 
workmanship;  thirdly,  manufacturers  lose,  because 
their  earnings  are  diminished  by  the  difficulties 
attendant  upon  a  new  process  of  manufacture. 


98  Patents  and  Royalties. 

Hence  it  is  as  a  matter  of  public  policy,  and  not  in 
the  interest  of  individual  inventors,  that  civilized 
States  have  very  wisely  enacted  patent  laws. 

It  was  on  the  urgent  and  repeated  recommenda- 
tion of  his  Excellency  Dr.  von  STEINBEIS,  a  gentle- 
man who,  greatly  to  the  benefit  of  the  community, 
has  for  many  years  occupied  the  distinguished  post 
of  President  to  the  Royal  Central  Board  of  Trade 
and  Industry  in  Wiirtemberg,  that  I,  too,  resorted 
to  this  effectual  means  of  protection  for  my  designs; 
and  the  sequel  very  soon  convinced  me  that  my 
adviser  had  counseled  well. 

The  first  article  patented  was  the  shirt.  The  re- 
sult is  that,  at  the  present  time,  both  in  this  and 
other  countries,  there  are  establishments  in  at  least 
a  hundred  different  towns  where  it  can  be  bought; 
and  every  one  of  these  establishments  constitutes 
a  centre  of  propaganda  for  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System.  Considering,  further,  that  these  establish-  • 
ments  constantly  advertise,  it  will  be  admitted  that, 
by  patenting  the  shirt,  the  System  has  received  a 
great  impetus. 

No  eloquence  of  tongue  or  pen  could  have  done 
as  much  in  ten  years  to  spread  the  reform  as  has 
been  accomplished  in  one  year  by  patenting  the 
shirt. 

Touching  the  question  of  royalties,  I  repeat  that 
it  was  only  the  legal  protection  afforded  by  my 
paten ':ing  and  registering,  which  induced  manufac- 
turers to  work  according  to  my  views.  But  it  is 
the  general  rule  for  inventors  to  receive  royalties 
from  business  men  working  their  patents.  Had  I 
not  done  so  what  would  have  been  the  conse- 
quence ? 


Patents  and  Royalties.  99 

A  man  of  business  regards  a  refusal  of  remunera- 
tion, where  it  may  honestly  be  accepted,  as  foolish. 
But  since  I  flatter  myself  upon  looking  anything 
but  foolish,  I  should  never  have  had  credit  for  my 
disinterestedness.  I  should  have  been  charged  with 
advocating  my  theories  from  mercenary  motives 
just  the  same;  while  I  should  have  had  no  com- 
pensation for  my  time  and  trouble,  and  for  the 
scoffing  and  jeering  to  which  I  was  at  first  sub- 
jected. Had  it  been  eventually  ascertained  that 
really  and  truly  I  received  no  remuneration,  some 
would  have  laughed  at  me,  while  others  would  have 
pitied  me.  Schiller  says: 

"  Denn  aus  Gemeinem  ist  der  Mensch  gemacht, 
Und  die  Gewohnheit  nennt  er  seine  Amme." 

("  Man  is  born  of  the  commonplace, 
And  nursed  at  the  breast  of  habit/') 

Whosoever,  like  myself,  dares  to  attack  cherished 
habits  must  bear  the  brunt  of  all  the  forces  of  com- 
monplace vulgarity  arrayed  against  him.  It  is  pro- 
verbial that  those  who  seek  to  benefit  mankind  are 
badly  treated  at  the  hands  of  their  contemporaries. 
My  maxim  is,  "  Better  be  hammer  than  anvil." 

I  believe  that  only  thus  could  opposition  have 
been  broken  down;  and  the  steady  and  energetic 
progress  of  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  reform, 
surpassing  my  most  sanguine  expectations,  is  the 
best  assurance  that  I  set  about  it  in  the  right 
way. 


IOO  Tailors. 


TAILORS. 

(1880.) 

INASMUCH  as  the  Sanatory  coat  is  more  difficult 
to  make  than  ordinary  ones,  tailors  do  not  coun- 
tenance the  reform,  but  usually  oppose  it;  especially 
are  those  tailors  prejudiced  against  the  Sanatory 
coat  who  make  it  merely  as  a  supplement  to  their 
business  in  ordinary  clothing,  as  they  never  acquire 
sufficient  skill  to  produce  an  article  capable  of  com- 
peting for  price  and  excellence  with  the  ordinary 
coats.  There  is  the  further  disadvantage  that  so- 
called  Sanatory  coats  continue  to  be  made  on  wrong 
principles,  with  cotton  and  linen  paddings  or  linings. 
Of  course,  when  a  customer  is  furnished  with 
such  a  coat,  and  finds  it  intolerable,  he  throws  it  on 
one  side,  and  rails  at  the  System.  The  report 
spreads,  people  shake  their  heads  and  say,  "Did  I 
not  tell  you  it  would  never  do?  Believe  me,  the 
whole  thing  is  a  delusion,  if  no  worse!  "  Thus  a 
single  coat  badly  made  may  have  the  effect  of  check- 
ing the  progress  of  the  movement  in  a  whole  district. 
Accredited  tailors,  authorized  by  me  to  work  from 
the  proper  pattern,  are  frequently  at  a  disadvantage 
in  that  they  cannot  make  the  Sanatory  coat  an 
exclusive  feature,  and  thereby  acquire  the  highest 
degree  of  proficiency.  Besides,  even  in  such  estab- 
lishments, there  is  no  security,  so  long  as  ordinary 
clothing  is  made  there,  and  a  stock  of  canvas  must 
be  kept  for  stiffening.  A  journeyman  tailor  who 
cannot  bring  himself  to  dispense  with  the  greater 
ease  in  working,  which  the  addition  of  the  canvas 


The  Crisis  of  Disease.  101 

affords,  will  soon  sew  some  of  it  into  a  coat,  without 
his  master's  knowledge,  and  a  spurious  article  is 
thus  palmed  off  upon  the  public  from  a  duly  ac- 
credited establishment,  causing  all  the  greater  mis- 
chief. 

There  is  another  difficulty  with  which  I  have  to 
contend.  Tailors  cannot  afford  to  lose  a  customer. 
When  I  give  some  special  direction  which  does  not 
approve  itself  to  the  mind  of  a  buyer,  tailors  must 
either  endeavor  to  persuade  him,  talking  by  the  hour, 
or  else,  rather  than  waste  more  time,  simply  acqui- 
esce. The  latter  course  being  more  pleasant,  and  less 
costly,  my  directions  go  unheeded.  For  example,  I 
am  constantly  impressing  upon  tailors  never  to 
select  too  heavy  a  cloth,  and  insisting  that  they 
should  try  to  dissuade  customers  from  such  a 
choice.  Perhaps  a  tailor  will  make  an  effort,  but 
the  customer  persists;  when  he  receives  his  coat 
he  feels  as  hot  in  it  as  a  fireman  at  the  stokehole 
of  a  steamer,  and  of  course,  blames  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System. 


THE   CRISIS   OF   DISEASE. 

(1881.) 

A  TRANSITION  from  the  ordinary  style  of  dress 
to  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  is  sometimes 
attended  with  phenomena  which  doctors  designate 
"critical,"  as  indicating  a  turning  point.  These 
"crises,"  which  may  occur  soon  or  some  time  after 
the  change,  running  their  course  in  a  few  hours,  or 
enduring  for  a  longer  period,  and  involving  greater 
or  less  disturbance  of  the  general  health,  have 


IO2  The  Crisis  of  Disease. 

caused  persons  who  did  not  understand  them  to 
discard  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing,  especially 
when  the  "  critical "  periods  have  lasted  any  length 
of  time.  In  place  of  the  improvement  that  was 
expected  from  the  adoption  of  the  System,  people 
conceived  that  it  made  them  ill. 

Healthy  persons  who  need  nothing  beyond  the 
elimination  of  superfluous  tissue-water  find  that 
the  "  crisis,"  as  a  rule,  is  confined  to  one  or  more 
copious  outpourings  of  perspiration,  occurring  in 
rapid  succession,  and  in  a  few  weeks  the  full  bene- 
fit of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  is  realized.  But 
where  there  is  a  long-standing  chronic  disorder — 
be  it  only  a  constitutional  susceptibility  to  colds 
and  chills — the  case  is  altered,  and  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons: 

The  earlier  physicians  believed  that  in  cases  of 
disease  and  chronic  disorders,  some  special  "  mor- 
bid matter"  must  first  be  expelled  before  the 
patient  could  recover.  They  were  familiar  with 
the  kind  of  "  crisis"  which  heralds  convalescence, 
but  is  preceded  by  exacerbation  of  the  symptoms, 
and  they  termed  the  attendant  secretions,  which, 
as  a  rule,  appear  in  the  form  of  perspiration,  "  criti- 
cal secretions."  They  could  not,  however,  explain 
more  precisely  the  nature  of  this  "  morbid  matter." 
The  modern  school  of  physiology  rejected  this 
theory,  or  recognized  it  only  in  epidemic  diseases, 
and  ceased  to  give  the  same  attention  as  formerly 
to  the  "  crisis"  of  illness. 

My  researches  confirm  the  earlier  views  of  the 
profession  on  this  point,  and  show  that  the  odor 
of  the  "morbid  matter"  exhaled  by  the  patient  is 
characteristic  of  the  particular  disease,  thus  admit- 


The  Crisis  of  Disease.  103 

ting  the  practicability  of  recognizing  a  disease  by 
the  sense  of  smell. 

I  could  say  much  more  on  this  subject,  but  will 
restrict  myself  here  to  the  following  remarks. 

As  I  have  frequently  explained,  every  living  crea- 
ture, even  when  healthy,  evolves  "  noxious'*  emana- 
tions from  its  food  and  from  the  decomposition  of 
albumen  in  its  tissues.  If  these  emanations  can  be 
freely  eliminated,  they  do  no  harm,  but  if  their 
discharge  from  the  body  be  checked,  they  will 
accumulate  within,  creating  what  medical  men  call 
dyscrasia,  or  a  bad  condition  of  the  bodily  juices. 
The  same  thing  will  happen  in  an  atmosphere  con- 
stantly laden  with  offensive  emanations,  whether 
originating  within  the  body,  or  from  any  other 
source.  The  albumen  of  the  tissues  attracts  such 
emanations,  and  becomes  impregnated  therewith. 

Want  of  exercise  especially  favors  this  process 
of  absorption,  rendering  sluggish  the  interchange 
and  conversion  of  the  constituents  in  the  body,  the 
tissues  of  which  then  as  readily  take  up  odorous 
exhalations,  as  standing  milk  is  known  to  do. 

A  person  whose  tissues  are  thus  overcharged  with 
"  noxious"  emanations  may  not  at  the  time  feel 
unwell,  for  the  emanations  are,  in  a  manner,  chemi- 
cally combined  with  the  albumen  in  the  tissues.  It 
is  the  decomposition  of  albumen,  consequent  on 
increased  activity  of  the  organs,  through  some 
stimulating  cause,  that  liberates  the  "  noxious" 
emanations,  which  then  become  odorous,  and  ill- 
ness sets  in.  The  tendency  to  this  is  accentuated 
by  the  effect  of  the  "  noxious"  emanations  in  ren- 
dering the  tissues  more  spongy,  increasing  the 


IO4  The  Crisis  of  Disease. 

quantity  of  water  in  them,  and  assisting  decom- 
position. 

The  next  is  a  very  important  point  for  laymen  as 
well  as  doctors,  and  I  beg  my  readers  to  give  it 
their  best  attention. 

According  to  my  observations,  many  u  noxious" 
odors,  by  direct  action  upon  the  skin,  and  by  pene- 
tration into  the  bodily  juices,  produce  contraction 
in  the  cutaneous  blood-vessels,  and  thereby  create 
a  sensation  of  cold,  because  the  skin  in  such  cases 
receives  a  smaller  amount  of  blood  heat.  The  same 
will  happen  if  internally  a  "  noxious,"  volatile  es- 
sence be  set  free.  That  is  the  reason  why  many 
illnesses  are  ushered  in  with  a  shivering  fit.  If 
this  be  very  pronounced,  and  so  closely  followed 
by  the  so-called  febrile  fit,  by  way  of  reaction,  the 
effect  of  the  volatile,  odorous  essence  above  men- 
tioned is  no  other  than  the  hitherto  unaccountable 
feverish  shivering.  But  if  the  reaction  is  delayed, 
and  there  be  only  a  moderate  degree  of  shivering, 
the  patient  will  probably  say  that  he  has  caught  a 
cold,  even  when  there  is  not  the  faintest  trace  of  a 
cause  for  the  chill.  Hence  comes  that  very  general 
view  of  chills  as  prime  causes  of  illness,  and  the 
consequent  uervous  dread  of  catching  cold  which 
has  wrought,  and  is  still  working  so  much  mis- 
chief. 

To  return  to  the  question  of  the  "crisis."  The 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  has  by  this  time  fully 
approved  itself  as  one  of  the  most  powerful,  if  not, 
indeed,  the  most  powerful,  curative  means  for 
dyscrasial  habits  of  body,  for  the  reason  that  it 
possesses  the  faculty  of  expelling  the  volatile  dys- 
crasial stuff  from  the  body. 


The  Crisis  of  Disease.  105 

What  is  the  inference  ?  A  person  predisposed 
to  take  cold  is  one  whose  dyscrasy  or  "  noxious'* 
essence  possesses  the  special  characteristic,  when- 
ever set  free,  of  setting  up  a  feeling  of  chill.  If, 
by  the  help  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  this 
odorous  essence  be  suddenly  expelled,  the  "crisis" 
will  run  its  course  as  an  apparent  fever  caused  by 
a  cold. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  "noxious" 
emanations,  in  cases  of  dyscrasial  or  distempered 
habit  of  body,  are  greatly  diversified;  and,  conse- 
quently, the  symptoms  characterizing  these  "  crises" 
must  be  as  dissimilar  as  are  the  maladies  them- 
selves. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  state  that  although  I  have 
been  now  wearing  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing 
for  the  last  two  years  and  a  half,  it  was  not  before 
the  past  winter  that  a  certain  troublesome  irritation 
of  the  skin  between  the  shoulder  blades  quite  dis- 
appeared. I  had  been  saddled  with  it  for  fully 
seven  years,  especially  during  the  cold  season,  and, 
in  fact,  it  showed  even  two  winters  ago,  although 
only  as  a  mild  kind  of  evanescent  rash.  Therefore, 
I  say,  patience  !  The  "  salutary"  principle  which 
clings  to  woolen  garments — nature's  healing  power, 
or  the  body's  inherent  medicine — will  overcome 
everything,  unless  indeed  internal  anatomical 
changes  have  taken  place.  Care,  however,  must 
be  exercised  that  the  remedial  action  be  not  inter- 
fered with  by  the  "  noxious"  principle  of  the  body, 
which  adheres  to  textures  of  vegetable  fiber. 

I  am  satisfied  that  many  who  have  adopted  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System,  and  who  may  read  this, 
call  to  mind  their  own  early  experiences. 


106  Woolen  Clothing  Fire-proof . 

These  remarks  will  clear  up  much  that  may  have 
seemed  unaccountable,  and  it  will  now  be  better 
understood  why  opinions  of  the  System  may  at 
times  have  been  diametrically  opposite,  according 
to  particular  cases  and  circumstances. 

When  I  was  told  at  first  that  a  person  had  tried 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  but  could  not  stand 
it,  I  was  fain  to  conclude  that  there  must  be  con- 
stitutions with  which  it  did  not  agree,  although  I 
rebelled  against  such  a  doctrine  as  an  obvious 
paradox.  Now,  however,  since  I  more  fully  under- 
stand the  character  of  the  "  crisis,"  I  no  longer  en- 
tertain the  slightest  doubt.  The  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  agrees  with  everybody,  without  exception, 
and  the  very  persons  whose  bodies  make  the  hardest 
fight  against  it  will  ultimately  derive  the  greatest 
benefit  from  it.  The  struggle  is  proof  that  "  mor- 
bid matter"  is  lurking  in  the  body;  and,  although 
for  a  time  this  may  not  cause  actual  illness,  there 
is  a  consciousness  of  imperfect  health,  which  shows 
itself  in  this,  that,  and  the  other  minor  ailment; 
and  sooner  or  later  its  development  is  attended 
with  serious,  perhaps  fatal,  results.  The  reader 
will,  therefore,  readily  perceive  how  a  "  crisis," 
when  misunderstood,  may  give  rise  to  seeming 
contradictions  in  the  minds  of  those  who  claim  to 
have  given  the  System  a  fair  trial. 

WOOLEN   CLOTHING   FIRE-PROOF. 
(1881.) 

great    difference   in   this   respect   between 
woolen  and  vegetable  fiber  is  worth  noticing. 
Cases    often    occur   in  which    the   hair   takes  fire, 


The  Sanatory  Woolen  Handkerchief.       107 

but  it  never  burns  down  to  the  skin,  as  would 
certainly  happen  with  vegetable  fiber.  If  a  piece 
of  linen  or  cotton  be  held  over  a  lighted  candle,  as 
soon  as  it  ignites  it  burns  away  with  a  clear  flame 
until  nothing  remains  but  the  ash.  If  a  similar 
experiment  be  made  with  woolen  material,  a  con- 
siderable time  will  be  required  before  it  will  ignite 
at  all,  and  then  the  flame  is  extinguished  as  soon 
as  the  material  is  removed  from  the  lighted  candle. 
Thus  people  are  fire-proof  in  wool — />-.,  their  cloth- 
ing or  bedding  cannot  take  fire ;  while,  when 
clothed  in  woven  material  or  vegetable  fiber,  they 
are  practically  torches  ready  for  the  lighting. 

THE  SANATORY  WOOLEN 

HANDKERCHIEF,  AND   CATARRHAL 

INFECTION. 

(1881.) 

T  AST  winter,  when  the  severe  cold  weather  sud- 
denly  set  in,  and  windows  and  doors  in  the 
living  rooms  were  kept  closely  shut,  the  dimin- 
ished ventilation  and  heated  atmosphere  caused  all 
things  of  vegetable  fiber  in  the  rooms  to  exhale 
the  "  noxious"  odors  which  they  are  constantly 
absorbing;  and  whoever,  like  myself,  was  com- 
pelled by  his  occupation  to  remain  continually 
indoors,  contracted  what  is  frequently  mistaken 
for  a  cold,  but  in  reality  resembles  the  disease 
called  "  strangles,"  with  which  horses  kept  in 
stables  are  affected — />.,  we  did  not  catch  cold, 
but  we  were  "  poisoned  "  by  the  atmosphere  of  the 
rooms  in  which  we  lived. 

(I  may  here  remark  that  I  have  been  reproached 


io8        The  Sanatory  Woolen  Handkerchief. 

for  repeatedly  comparing  the  condition  of  human 
beings  to  that  of  animals.  I  am  compelled  to  this 
by  the  necessity  of  keeping  under  my  readers' 
notice  the  fact  that  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System 
does  not  promise  absolutely  perfect  health  and  per- 
petual existence,  but  only  that  degree  of  stability  of 
health  which  is  possessed  by  the  domestic  ani- 
mals.) 

I  was  guided  to  the  above  conclusion  by  the 
following  considerations,  which  obtained  in  my  own 
and  all  similar  cases  that  came  under  my  observa- 
tion :  I  never  coughed  out  of  doors,  however  cold 
it  might  be,  nor  at  night,  when  sleeping  with  the 
window  open  ;  the  irritation  in  the  throat  was 
only  felt  when  in  the  living-rooms.  It  was  evi- 
dent from  the  beginning  that  the  cough  originated 
from  the  stomach — /.<?.,  a  fit  of  coughing  would 
set  in  about  two  or  three  hours  after  taking  a 
meal,  without  any  apparent  cause.  This  period 
coincided  with  that  of  the  change  in  the  nature  of 
the  emanations  evolved  in  the  body  from  the  food 
in  process  of  digestion. 

My  sons,  who  skated  a  great  deal  and  went  twice 
a  day  to  school,  were  entirely  exempt  from  the 
disorder  in  question,  and  the  case  of  my  youngest 
daughter,  who  went  to  school  in  the  forenoon  only, 
was  milder  than  that  of  my  grown-up  daughters, 
who  sat  at  home  at  their  needlework.  But  the 
chief  sufferer  was  myself ;  for  while  my  family 
betake  themselves  at  10  to  n  p.m.  to  the  pure  air 
in  the  bedrooms,  I  remain  until  2  a.m.  in  a  study 
filled  with  books,  papers,  and  other  objects,  which 
absorb  and  exhale  the  noxious  matters  in  the  al> 
mosphere. 


The  Sanatory  Woolen  Handkerchief.       109 

I  find  that  the  remedy  for  this  disorder  consists 
in: 

(1)  Thorough  ventilation  of  the  living-rooms. 

(2)  It  is  an  old  rule  that  catarrh  will  be  sooner 
cured  if  the  handkerchief  be  changed  as  often  as 
practicable.     This  must  be  due  to  the  presence  in 
the  used  handkerchief  of  an  infectious  agent  which 
renews  the  catarrhal  complaint  ;  and  herein  lies  a 
striking  confirmation  of  my  theory  respecting  the 
effects  of  the  "noxious'*  emanations. 

I  reasoned  that  this  infectious  agent  must  be  the 
well-known  characteristic,  odorous  matter  of  hand- 
kerchiefs used  by  catarrhal  patients  ;  further,  that 
this  "  noxious"  emanation  would  be  absorbed  by 
vegetable,  but  not  by  woolen  fiber.  In  order,  there- 
fore, to  obtain  relief  from  the  disorder,  after  it 
had  annoyed  me  for  four  weeks,  I  resolved  to  try 
the  woolen  handkerchief,  which  had  already  been 
introduced  by  adherents  of  my  Sanitary  Woolen 
System,  although  I  had  hitherto  objected  to  it  as 
impracticable.  This  objection  I  withdraw,  and  I 
acknowledge  my  error.  In  three  days  I  was  freed 
from  the  nasal  catarrh,  and  by  the  fourth  day  the 
cough  had  disappeared  ;  only  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  throat  was  not  completely  in  order.  I 
may  add  that,  so  far  as  I  could  learn,  no  "  hard- 
ened "  wool-wearers  thus  attacked  experienced  fe- 
verish symptoms,  or  were  interrupted,  in  their 
ordinary  avocations.  For  instance,  when  the  dis- 
order was  at  its  height  I  was  able,  on  one  occasion, 
to  dictate  for  seven  hours  at  a  time  ;  on  another, 
to  lecture  and  discuss  continuously  from  7  p.m.  to 
2  a.m.  in  a  thick  atmosphere  of  tobacco  smoke. 

Since  I  have   adopted  the  woolen  handkerchief 


i  io     The  Adulteration  of  Wool  with  Cotton. 

the  nasal  secretion  has  become  quite  normal — i.e., 
has  almost  ceased,  but  the  catarrhal  affection  of  the 
throat  and  larynx  remained  almost  unchanged, 
until  one  day  a  light  dawned  upon  me.  I  had  for 
years  smoked  a  pipe  consisting  of  a  clay  bowl  and 
a  simple  reed  stem,  and  it  occurred  to  me  that,  just 
as  the  handkerchief  of  vegetable  fiber  preserves 
the  infection  of  nasal  catarrh,  so  the  pipe  stem  of 
vegetable  fiber  might  retain  the  infection  of  throat 
catarrh.  Therefore,  if  my  theory  were  correct,  by 
substituting  for  the  pipe  with  the  reed  stem  one 
with  a  horn  mouthpiece  the  continuous  self-infec- 
tion would  cease.  This  surmise  was  completely 
justified  by  the  result.  A  few  days  after  the  change 
from  the  wooden  to  the  horn  mouthpiece  the  ca- 
tarrh disappeared  from  my  throat,  and  the  voice 
was  restored.  Various  tests  have  further  estab- 
lished the  noxious  quality  of  the  wooden  mouth- 
piece. Inhalation  from  it  distinctly  retarded  the 
rapidity  of  the  movements  of  the  nerves,  as  measured 
by  the  stop-watch  (see  page  7),  and  I  have  several 
times  made  the  experiment  of  smoking  through  it 
again,  but  invariably  with  an  irritating  effect  on  the 
throat.  This  effect,  however,  passed  off  again  at 
once,  which  is  important  evidence  that  the  infection 
does  not  arise  from  disease  germs,  but  from  odor- 
ous matter. 

THE  ADULTERATION  OF  WOOL  WITH 
COTTON. 

(1881.) 

'THE  surest  mode  of  detection  is  by  microscopical 

examination.       With    a    thirty-fold    magnifier 

the  least  admixture  can  easily  be  recognized.     The 


The  Air  in  Rooms.  in 

woolen  thread  appears  as  a  cylindrical  body  of  al- 
most circular  shape,  with  wavy  outline  ;  the  cotton 
thread  appears  flat  and  ribbon-like,  with  angular 
folds,  as  if  crumpled. 

A  second  test,  which  any  one  can  apply,  is  by 
holding  the  separated  warp  and  woof  to  a  flame. 
Pure  woolen  thread  exposed  to  a  flame  fuses  to  an 
irregular  mass  before  it  is  consumed,  leaving  a 
shapeless  ash,  and  ceases  to  burn  when  removed 
from  the  flame;  cotton  or  linen  thread  burns  steadi- 
ly on  after  removal  from  the  flame,  and  the  form 
of  the  thread  is  distinctly  preserved  in  the  ash.  If 
a  thread  be  an  admixture  of  wool  and  cotton,  it 
will  burn  irregularly 

THE   AIR   IN   ROOMS. 

(1881.) 

T^HE  injurious  effect  of  the  air  confined  in  rooms 
is  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  themes  of 
sanitary  science.  Writers  on  health  abound  with 
advice  as  to  ventilation,  the  keeping  as  much  as 
possible  in  the  fresh  air,  and  so  on,  and  my  readers 
know  the  importance  of  sleeping  at  night  with  the 
window  open.  Therefore,  in  making  the  following 
suggestions  with  reference  to  the  air  in  rooms,  I 
am  only  pursuing  and  extending  the  ancient  track. 
I  have  now  (autumn,  1881)  had  three  years'  experi- 
ense  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  and  I  can 
safely  say  that  it  has  answered  the  expectations 
formed  of  it.  It  is  a  powerful  remedy,  and,  when 
the  body  is  hardened,  maintains  those  who  adopt  it 
in  as  sound  health  as,  for  instance,  the  horse,  or 
the  house  dog.  More  than  this  cannot  be  demanded 


112  The  Air  in  Rooms. 

of  any  system  by  those  who  dwell  under  artificial 
conditions,  within  four  walls.  But  the  improve- 
ment implied  by  the  above  comparison  will  be 
patent  to  every  one  who  knows  how  much  less 
often  the  dog  is  ill  than  its  owner. 

To  laymen,  at  the  beginning,  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  may  have  seemed  as  if  it  would  accomplish 
even  more  than  this,  but  medical  men  know  that 
all  systems  of  cure  and  rules  of  health,  such  as  the 
use  of  special  baths,  change  of  air,  change  of  diet, 
etc.,  work  much  more  energetically  at  the  com- 
mencement than  when  the  body  becomes  accus- 
tomed to  the  altered  conditions.  The  reason  is 
that  the  bodily  machine  at  once  seeks  to  restore 
the  equilibrium  thus  disturbed,  and  to  this  end 
works  more  rapidly,  causing  freer  and  more  com- 
plete exhalation  of  the  "  noxious"  vapors.  The 
consequent  improvement  in  health  at  the  com- 
mencement should  not  be  allowed  to  mislead,  as 
the  value  of  a  rule  of  health  can  be  estimated  only 
when  the  body  is  accustomed  to  it. 

This  stage  in  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  has 
now  been  reached  by  many,  and  the  conclusion 
arrived  at  is,  that  the  System  procures  that  addition 
of  health  for  which  man  has  hitherto  had  every 
reason  to  envy  the  domestic  animals  ;  but  the 
wool-wearer  shares  with  the  domestic  animals  those 
diseases  which  are  the  raison  d'etre  of  veterinary 
surgeons.  The  question  now  to  be  asked  is.  Can 
matters  be  carried  any  further  ?  Again  the  ani- 
mals supply  the  answer,  and  most  plainly.  • 

I  describe  the  wool-wearer  as  being  as  healthy  as 
a  horse  or  a  dog,  or  more  precisely,  as  housed  cat- 
tle ;  a  higher  degree  of  health  is  attained  by  graz- 


The  A  ir  in  Rooms.  113 

ing-cattle — for  example,  by  sheep.  These  are  much 
less  subject  to  disease  due  to  the  personal,  "  nox- 
ious" exhalations;  for  instance,  wool-wearers  do 
occasionally  catch  cold  in  the  same  way  and  for 
the  same  reason  as  housed  cattle,  while  grazing- 
cattle  are  absolutely  weather-proof;  but  the  latter 
are  not  proof  against  infectious  diseases,  although 
the  fact  that  sheep  are  more  so  than  oxen  was  im- 
pressed upon  the  soldiers  in  the  Franco-German 
war,  who  had  for  that  reason  to  subsist  on  mutton. 
That  sheep  are  infected  with  very  dangerous  par- 
asites does  not  affect  the  argument,  for  all  wild 
animals  have  parasites. 

To  what  is  the  higher  degree  of  health  of  grazing- 
cattle  due?  Simply  to  the  cause  that  makes  our 
soldiers  healthier  during  the  month  of  the  manoeu- 
vres than  when  they  are  penned  in  barracks.  Graz- 
ing-cattle  constantly  bivouac,  at  least  in  summer, 
and  are  not  poisoned  by  the  air  of  their  stable. 
Yet  a  degree  higher  in  health  than  grazing-cattle 
are  ground-game  (hares,  foxes,  deer,  partridges, 
pheasants,  etc.),  which  also  bivouac  in  the  winter. 
These  animals  are  not  only  weather-proof,  but  much 
less  susceptible  to  epidemics  than  grazing-cattle  ; 
still,  however,  such  diseases  do  occur,  and  it 
would  be  interesting  to  consider  the  reasons, 
which  will  be  explained  by  the  following  two 
facts: 

i.  Animals  which  live  on  the  ground  are  nearer 
proof  against  epidemics  than  animals  which  live 
under  the  ground;  for  instance,  field-mice  are  sub- 
ject to  violent  epidemics  which  will  destroy  nearly 
the  whole  of  them  in  a  district;  and  this  occurs 
when  the  mice  are  so  numerous  that  the  whole 


1 14  The  Air  in  Rooms. 

ground  smells  of  their  excrement,  and  is  therefore 
saturated  with  poison  proceeding  from  the  mice 
themselves. 

2.  The  birds  in  the  air  are  absolutely  infection- 
proof.  I  have  never  heard  of  nor  seen  an  epidemic 
among  crows,  jackdaws,  sparrows,  starlings,  swal- 
lows. The  only  diseases  to  which  they  are  subject 
are  caused  by  lice  and  worms  ;  and  they  sometimes 
suffer  from  predatory  animals,  frost,  hail,  etc.  Their 
"  self-poison"  is  mainly  contained  in  their  excre- 
ment, and  with  this  they  hardly  ever  come  in  con- 
tact, while  they  are  removed  from  every  kind  of 
miasma  of  the  ground. 

Now  comes  the  question,  to  what  degree  of  health 
man  may  hope  to  attain,  having  regard  to  existing 
circumstances  and  customs,  and  without  heavy  ex- 
penditure ;  in  other  words,  without  building  castles 
in  the  air,  or  seeking  to  inhabit  balloons,  as  he 
would  need  to  do  to  become  as  healthy  as  the 
birds.  This  condition  is,  therefore,  unattainable  ; 
and  here,  as  everywhere,  to  demand  perfection  gen- 
erally, leads  to  realizing  little  or  nothing,  Those 
who  have  followed  my  suggestions  as  to  Sanatory 
Woolen  Clothing  and  Bedding  and  sleeping  with 
open  window  have  reached  a  degree  of  health 
equal  to  that  of  the  horse  ;  the  next  degree,  and 
the  only  one  practicable  for  discussion,  would  be 
health  equal  to  that  of  sheep.  The  experiences  of 
this  winter  (1881-2)  give  me  the  firm  assurance 
that  this  is  tolerably  easy  to  attain,  for  it  is  merely 
a  question  of  the  atmosphere  in  living  and  working 
rooms,  respecting  which  I  am  in  a  position  to  say 
something  more  radically  helpful  than  my  prede- 
cessors on  the  subject  of  ventilation. 


The  A  ir  in  Rooms.  1 1-5 

Before  coming  to  the  practical  side  of  the  ques- 
tion, I  must  again  institute  a  comparison  with  the 
domestic  animals.  If  they  be  classified  according 
to  the  facility  with  which  they  contract  disease, 
the  lowest  place  must  be  assigned  to  stalled  cattle, 
the  horse  and  the  ox,  who  live  in  the  same  space  in 
which  they  deposit  their  excrement.  Why  does 
the  dog  possess  more  power  of  resistance  to  dis- 
ease ?  Because  the  dog  is  cleanly  indoors,  and  does 
not,  like  stalled  cattle,  subject  itself  to  the  injuri- 
ous influence  of  the  odor  of  its  excrement  ;  while 
chained  dogs,  who  cannot  get  away  for  the  pur- 
pose, are  not  confined  in  close  rooms.  The  great- 
est strength  of  resistance,  and  the  toughest  nature 
of  all,  has  the  cat,  which  carefully  buries  its  excre- 
ment, and  is  not  confined  to  the  atmosphere  of 
rooms,  or  chained  to  miasmatic  ground,  as  dogs 
frequently  are,  but  seeks  the  airy  and  lofty  parts 
of  dwellings.  These  considerations  show  that  the 
worst  enemy  to  the  health  of  every  being  is  found 
in  the  malodorous  portion  of  its  own  exhalations. 
This  is  most  readily  apparent  with  respect  to  sew- 
age, and  the  attention  of  sanitary  authorities  has 
been  rightly  devoted,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  re- 
moval of  this  notorious  "  self-poison."  I  may, 
however,  point  out  that  the  habit  of  the  cat,  which 
buries  its  excrement  immediately,  is  better  than  that 
of  allowing  it  to  ferment  and  distill,  so  as  to  give 
out  a  maximum  of  odor. 

That  the  atmosphere  in  rooms  which  are  inhab- 
ited, even  when  no  air  from  drains,  etc.,  forces  its 
way  in,  soon  becomes  loaded  with  "  self-poison," 
has,  of  course,  long  been  recognized  ;  but  much 
too  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  fact  that 


Ii6  The  Air  in  Rooms. 

these  exhalations  are  not  only  dispersed  in  the  sur- 
rounding air,  but  are  also  caught  up  and  retained 
by  the  objects  in  the  room,  to  be  again,  on  occa- 
sion, given  out.  So  long  as  a  dwelling-room  is- 
abundantly  ventilated  there  is  no  danger,  and  fol- 
lowers of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  are  in  this 
respect  much  better  off  than  those  who  are  mis- 
clothed;  for  they  can  not  only  sleep  with  open  win- 
dow, but  also,  as  they  are  not  afraid  of  draught, 
and  have  less  need  of  external  warmth,  can  work 
with  open  windows  and  doors.  I  may  here  remark 
that  while  the  air  in  a  room  remains,  through  ven- 
tilation, free  from  poison,  its  temperature  may, 
without  becoming  too  cold,  sink  much  lower  than 
when,  in  the  absence  of  ventilation,  it  contains  poi- 
sonous matter  ;  "  self-poison,"  in  fact,  chills,  and  I 
know  wool  wearers  who  work  in  winter  by  open 
window,  which  is  the  right  thing  to  do. 

The  difficulty  begins  when  the  cold  necessitates 
warming  the  rooms  ;  proper  ventilation  then  be- 
comes expensive,  for  the  warmth  escapes  simulta- 
neously with  the  vitiated  air,  so  that  most  people 
resign  themselves  to  the  inevitable,  keep  their  win- 
dows shut,  and  live  in  a  fusty  atmosphere. 

I  believe  that  the  danger  thus  incurred  would  be 
greatly  lessened  if  all  those  objects  which  absorb  the 
noxious  exhalations  were  removed  from  the  room. 
If  they  would  retain  them,  their  presence  would  be 
a  benefit,  but  warmth  and  damp  cause  them  to  give 
these  exhalations  out  again,  and  they  are  and  re- 
main malodorous.  After  a  close  examination  of 
the  subject,  I  am  in  a  position  to  affirm  the 
unwholesomeness  of  dust  in  rooms.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  inhale  the  odor  under  a  piece  of  furni- 


The  Air  in  Rooms.  1 17 

ture,  from  which  the  dust  is  not  regularly  removed, 
to  be  convinced  of  this  ;  or  to  compare  the  very  dif- 
ferent smell  of  the  atmosphere  of  a  room  before 
and  after  the  latter  has  been  thoroughly  cleaned 
and  dusted  out.  Further  consideration  of  what 
constitutes  the  dust  in  rooms  shows  that  this  offen- 
sive smell  is  less  that  of  the  dust  particles  per  se, 
than  of  the  fetid  odors  taken  up  by  them. 

The  following  are  mainly  the  constituents  of  the 
dust  in  the  rooms  :  (a)  Earth  dust :  We  know  that 
the  earth  readily  absorbs  odors,  and  gives  them 
forth  again  under  the  influence  of  warmth  and 
damp,  hence  the  dangerous  ground  miasmas,  (b) 
Coal  dust :  Coal  has  such  strong  absorbing  power 
that  it  has  long  been  used  for  deodorization  ;  it 
seems  to  retain  odors  more  firmly  than  earth  dust, 
but  still  coal  dust  cannot  be  considered  harmless. 
(c)  Vegetable-fiber  dust :  This  proceeds  from  the 
linen  and  cotton  materials  of  clothes,  etc.,  and  from 
•the  droppings  of  horses,  etc.,  in  the  streets;  also 
from  the  wear  and  tear  of  floors  and  wooden  ob- 
jects. It  is  clear  that  vegetable-fiber  dust  must  act 
in  a  similar  manner  to  vegetable  fiber  in  clothing. 

Dust  thus  constituted  cannot  but  be  most  dan- 
gerous company  in  a  room,  since,  if  allowed  to  re- 
main, it  becomes  poisonous,  and,  when  it  is  dis- 
turbed and  enters  the  lungs,  has  not  only  an  irri- 
tating effect,  but,  becoming  moist,  gives  out  its 
noxious  odors  within  the  body.  The  disagreeable 
odor  when  a  dusty  floor  is  wetted  is  well  known, 
and  a  damp  atmosphere  suffices  to  let  loose  the 
smell.  Hence  follows  the  recommendation  not  only 
to  remove  the  dust  of  rooms  as  often  and  as  thor- 
oughly as  possible,  but  also  to  adopt  certain  meth- 


1 1 8  The  Air  in  Rooms. 

ods  of  doing  it.     In  dealing  with  the  dust  in  rooms 
most  ladies  and  their  servants  make  three  mistakes. 

The  first  is  that  the  dust  is  more  driven  about  the 
room  than  actually  removed.  If  a  room  of  which 
the  windows  are  closed  is  swept  out,  and  the  fur- 
niture wiped  down,  it  looks  comparatively  clean, 
but  is  nothing  of  the  sort,  because  a  large  portion 
of  the  dust  has  deposited  itself  on  the  walls,  and  on 
projections,  such  as  picture-frames,  mirrors,  etc., 
between  the  books  on  the  shelves,  and  behind  the 
heavier  furniture  standing  against  the  wall.  Nor 
are  things  much  improved  by  the  opening  of  one 
or  more  windows  on  the  same  side  of  the  room. 
What  is  wanted  is  a  thorough  draught  of  wind; 
and  if  a  room  has  only  windows  on  one  side,  a 
window  in  the  passage  or  elsewhere  should  be 
opened  to  cause  such  a  draught  as  will  really  carry 
the  dust  out  of  the  room.  Windy  weather  is,  of 
course,  best  for  this  purpose,  to  which  I  attach  so 
much  importance  that  I  would  recommend  the  , 
sweeping-out  of  rooms  to  be  deferred  when,  in  the 
absence  of  wind,  it  is  impracticable  to  create  a 
good  draught. 

An  important  help  in  getting  rid  of  the  dust  by 
means  of  the  wind  is  to  attach  a  large  piece  of 
pasteboard  to  a  wooden  handle,  and,  after  the 
room  has  been  swept,  to  stir  the  air,  driving  the 
minute  dust  out  of  the  corners  and  angles,  away 
from  the  walls,  preventing  it  from  settling  any- 
where, until  the  room  smells  free  from  dust.  No 
sense  can  be  so  relied  on  for  accuracy  in  this  re- 
spect as  that  of  smell :  long  after  no  more  dust 
can  be  seen,  the  nose  will  detect  it. 

A  second  mistake  is  the  belief  that  through  mois- 


The  Air  in  Rooms.  1 19 

ture  (tea-leaves  on  carpets,  or  a  damp  cloth  on 
wooden  floors)  the  dust  is  prevented  from  rising,  and 
is  removed.  Some,  of  course,  is  removed,  but  only 
such  as  is  on  the  floor,  and  that  not  entirely.  The 
fine  dust,  clinging  to  the  walls  and  ceiling,  can  only 
be  dealt  with  by  stirring  the  air,  as  just  described. 
And  it  is  this  fine  dust  which  is  most  dangerous, 
for  it  consists  of  the  specifically  light  organic  mat- 
ters, while  the  heavier  mineral  dust  sinks  to  the 
floor.  The  third  mistake  is  the  habit  of  overlook- 
ing the  dust  which  is  more  difficult  to  get  at,  behind 
furniture,  pictures,  mirrors,  and  so  on.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  smell  at  these  places  to  be  convinced 
how  they  must  conspire  to  vitiate  the  atmosphere. 
The  removal  of  such  dust  would  be  easier  if  all  fur- 
niture stood  on  casters  ;  but  if  furniture  be  not 
placed  quite  close  against  the  wall,  a  stick  may  be 
introduced  to  loosen  the  dust,  etc.,  so  that  it  may 
be  driven  out  when  the  air  is  stirred. 

Another  point  with  reference  to  the  atmosphere 
in  rooms  is  connected  with  the  flooring  and  the 
furniture.  Proofs  of  how  eagerly  and  freely  offen- 
sive odors  are  absorbed  by  wood,  which  gives  them 
out  again  whenever  wetted,  are  open  to  any  one 
who  likes  to  try  the  simplest  experiments.  I  have 
no  longer  any  doubt  that  wood  of  which  the  sur- 
face is  not  painted  or  polished  takes  up  the  exhala- 
tions of  the  body  in  the  same  manner  as  do  tex- 
tures of  vegetable  fiber  when  used  as  clothing. 

Every  one  is  acquainted  with  the  disagreeable 
smell  of  a  room  in  which  there  is  rough  woodwork, 
such  as  register-boxes,  deed-chests,  book-stands, 
and  the  like,  in  (German)  government  offices.  The 
general  ill-health  among  those  who  work  in  these 


I2O  The  Air  in  Rooms. 

offices,  which  is  ascribed  to  the  sedentary  nature 
of  their  labor,  is  certainly  not  attributable  to  that 
alone,  but  also  to  the  exceptionally  bad  atmosphere, 
mainly  caused  by  the  very  old,  wooden  lumber, 
charged  with  evil  odors. 

All  woodwork  in  rooms,  including  furniture  and 
flooring  (the  former  not  only  externally  and  in  front, 
but  also  internally  and  at  the  back),  should  there- 
fore be  treated  with  varnish,  oil  paint,  linseed  oil, 
or  some  similar  preparation,  which  will  have  the 
effect  of  closing  the  pores  of  the  wood.  One  of  the 
most  important  sources  of  lurking  self-poison  will 
thus  be  removed. 

Not  a  few  people  object  to  sitting  on  upholstered 
furniture;  some  find  it  too  warm,  others  have  no 
further  reason  to  give  than  "the  unpleasant  feel- 
ing." Now,  all  so-called  "  feelings"  proceed  from 
odorous  matters,  and  the  materials  of  vegetable 
fiber  in  the  stuffing  of  a  well-used  piece  of  uphol- 
stery will  be  found  on  examination  to  emit  a  repul- 
sive smell.  Here,  therefore,  is  another  source  of 
vitiated  atmosphere  in  living-rooms,  which  makes 
itself  felt  as  soon  as  the  windows  are  closed.  In- 
deed, the  seeds  of  disease  may  lurk  in  upholstered 
furniture.  A  medical  friend  has  related  to  me  the 
following  incident:  He  was  attacked  by  a  disease, 
at  first  inexplicable,  but  afterwards  declaring  itself 
as  the  form  of  intermittent  fever  prevalent  in  the 
tropics,  and  he  was  for  a  long  time  quite  unable  to 
discover  the  cause.  On  a  subsequent  professional 
visit  to  the  house  of  a  clergyman  in  his  district  the 
matter  was  explained.  The  clergyman,  previous- 
ly an  African  missionary,  incidentally  mentioned, 
pointing  to  an  American  chair,  that  he  had  lain  in  it, 


The  Air  in  Rooms.  121 

in  Africa,  for  two  years,  ill  with  intermittent  fever. 
Shortly  before  my  medical  friend's  attack,  he  had 
had  occasion  to  sit  in  this  chair  for  a  considerable 
time. 

My  sister,  resident  in  New  York,  has  told  me  that 
one  of  the  best-known  American  physicians  in  that 
city  once  remarked  to  her  that  no  house  ought  to 
be  inhabited  for  more  than  sixty  years,  but  should 
then  be  pulled  down,  as  it  is  infected  by  all  the  dis- 
eases of  those  who  have  ever  dwelt  there.  He  was 
right;  probably  every  reader  has  at  some  time  or 
other,  on  entering  an  old  house,  full  of  woodwork, 
been  struck  by  the  unwholesome  smell.  What  is 
then  to  be  done  ?  My  readers  will  scarcely  rec- 
oncile themselves  to  the  radical  remedy  suggested 
by  the  American  physician,  nor  do  I  consider  it 
necessary.  If  all  plain  wood  were  to  be  thor- 
oughly oiled  or  varnished,  I  believe  that  old  houses 
would  no  longer  be  haunted  by  such  evil  spirits. 
As  regards  ordinary  upholstered  furniture,  it  would 
be  a  great  step  in  advance  to  discontinue  its  em- 
ployment in  the  rooms  usually  inhabited,  and  if 
new  upholstery  be  procured  it  should  be  "Sanatory 
Woolen."  I  have  had  the  furniture  for  my  daugh- 
ter, on  her  marriage,  made  in  this  manner  by  a  firm 
of  upholsterers  here,  and  find  that  it  is  easy  to  effect, 
without  adding  to  its  cost,  or  detracting  from  its 
appearance.  Ordinary  upholstery  can  also  be  al- 
tered to  "Sanatory  Woolen."  I  particularly  cau- 
tion against  old  upholstered  heir-looms,  to  which 
the  remarks  of  the  American  physician  respecting 
houses,  quoted  above,  are  entirely  applicable. 

In  conclusion,  I  must  inflict  a  deep  wound  on  the 
housewifely  heart.  If  the  nose  be  applied  to  white 
9 


122  Cold  Baths. 

window-curtains,  even  after  they  have  been  up  a 
very  short  time,  they  will  be  found  to  smell  like 
"  dirty  wash,"  and  are  therefore  just  as  prejudicial 
to  the  atmosphere  in  the  room.  Whoever  can  af- 
ford it  should  have  woolen  curtains,  and  who- 
ever cannot  has  the  economical  alternative  of  dis- 
pensing with  curtains  altogether.  I  have  never 
permitted  their  presence  in  my  study,  and  there- 
fore know  from  experience  that  they  are  not  neces- 
sary. 

COLD  BATHS. 

(1881.) 

"CROM  time  to  time  I  have  encountered  persons 
who  declared  that  the  Sanatory  Woolen  Cloth- 
ing did  them  no  good,  but  made  them  languid  and 
nervous.  At  first  I  attributed  this  to  the  early* 
stage  of  their  experience,  but  when  similar  com- 
plaints were  made  in  cases  where  the  System  had 
been  adopted  for  twelve  months,  it  became  clear 
that  there  must  be  some  other  cause.  I  am  in- 
debted for  the  discovery  of  this  cause  to  my  atten- 
tion having  been  drawn  to  the  fact  that  similar 
symptoms  are  constantly  found  in  cases  of  excessive 
use  of  shower  and  other  cold  baths.  On  inquiry,  I 
ascertained  that  all  those  who  had  made  the  above- 
mentioned  complaints  regularly  took  such  batjbs. 
Before  I  advocated  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  I 
had  spoken  against  the  too  frequent  use  of  so 
strong  a  stimulant,  and  this  especially  applies 
when  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  is  worn.  The  lat- 
ter attracts  the  blood  to  the  skin,  which  is  good, 
and  cold  baths  do  the  same  thing  for  a  short  time; 


Cold  Baths.  123 

but  the  combined  effect  is  bad,  just  as  two  good 
meals,  taken  together,  would  be  unwholesome. 
For  wearers  of  ordinary  clothing,  cold  baths  are 
beneficial,  when  not  used  in  excess  and  too  regu- 
larly, because  the  linen  or  cotton  shirt  has  the  bad 
effect  of  driving  the  blood  away  from  the  skin.  To 
such  persons  the  cold  bath  affords  an  increased  cir- 
culation of  blood  at  the  surface,  at  least  for  a  time. 
But  dry  woolen  clothing,  after  a  cold  bath,  causes 
such  a  flow  of  blood  to  the  surface  that  the  supply 
to  the  brain  and  the  intestines  is  impoverished. 
We  here  again  see  that  nature's  laws  must  be  re- 
spected. The  wearer  of  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing 
must  take  pattern  by  the  woolen-coated  animal, 
which  does  not  throw  off  its  clothing,  go  into  cold 
water,  dry  itself,  and  then  resume  its  dry  clothing, 
but  goes,  coat  and  all,  into  the  water.  The  cooling 
effect  of  the  evaporation  set  up  through  the  drying 
of  the  wet  coat  on  the  body  counteracts  the  exces- 
sive tendency  to  expansion  of  the  surface  blood- 
vessels ;  and  it  is  precisely  to  this  evaporation  that 
is  due  the  lasting  refreshing  effect  of  the  bath. 
Let  the  wearer  of  Sanatory  Woolen  Clothing  follow 
this  example,  and,  if  he  wants  to  be  refreshed,  wet 
his  fleece.  The  body  should  not  be  dried,  and  in 
warm  dry  weather  the  shirt  should  be  dipped  in 
the  water,  or  sponged  over,  and  then  the  dry  over- 
clothing  put  on.  The  effect  is  most  pleasant,  af- 
fording an  enjoyment  from  which  the  wearer  of 
linen  or  cotton  is  debarred,  and  preventing  the  lan- 
guid feeling  often  experienced  after  bathing.  But 
here  again  moderation  is  a  golden  rule;  as  already 
explained,  wool-wearers  do  not  require  the  cold 
bath  for  its  stimulating  effect;  while,  as  the  secre- 


124  The  Sock  or  Stocking. 

tions  pass  freely  away  in  vapor,  instead  of  being 
turned  to  water  on  the  skin,  the  latter  remains  clean 
and  wholesome.  Wool-wearers  should  therefore 
study  their  feelings  in  the  matter,  and  be  guided  by 
them.  Summer  bathing  in  the  open  air,  should  be 
on  the  same  plan.  The  shirt  should  be  kept  on,  or 
wetted  before  it  is  resumed  ;  the  best  bathing  cos- 
tume is  a  combination-garment  of  short-sleeved 
shirt  and  short  drawers,  fitting  closely,  and  made 
for  the  purpose.  The  bather  simply  keeps  this  on, 
and,  after  pressing  out  the  surplus  water,  draws  on 
his  outer  clothing. 

The  wetting  of  the  underclothing  will  be  found  a 
capital  substitute  for  the  refreshment  of  a  bath 
when  such  cannot  be  had. 

To  allay  uneasiness,  I  may  remark  that  experi- 
ence has  long  shown  that  pure  woolen  clothing, 
when  wet,  may,  without  any  injury  to  the  body,  be 
allowed  to  dry  on  it.  A  constant  proof  of  this  is 
afforded  by  the  woolen-clothed  fisher  population  on 
the  shores  of  the  Baltic,  who  are  noted  for  their 
splendid  health. 

THE  SOCK  OR  STOCKING. 

(1881.) 

T  HAVE  often  be.en  requested  to  devote  attention 
to  this  article  of  clothing,  and  I  believe  that  I 
am  now  in  a  position  to  give  full  technical  direc- 
tions respecting  it. 

I  formerly  attributed  to  the  faulty  construction 
of  the  shoe  the  troubles  to  which  the  feet  of  civil- 
ized mankind  are  subject.  I  therefore  devised  the 
Sanatory  Woolen  shoe,  and  only  required  of  the 


The  Sock  or  Stocking.  125 

sock  or  stocking  that  it  should  be  woolen.  The 
low  partition  which  I  introduced  into  my  shoe  to 
separate  the  great  toe  from  that  next  to  it,  and  to 
keep  the  former  in  its  proper  position,  whereby 
its  powerful  and  heretofore  disused  muscle  was 
brought  into  play  in  walking,  first  caused  me  to 
examine  the  subject  of  the  stocking  more  closely. 
I  remarked  that  the  separation  of  the  flesh  of  the 
great  toe  from  that  of  its  neighbor  had  a  very 
advantageous  result.  Perfect  cleanliness  of  the 
feet  is  most  difficult  to  maintain  between  the  toes, 
where  the  two  surfaces  are  pressed  together,  in- 
ducing an  offensive  condition  of  the  skin  quite  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  any  other  part  of  the  foot. 

The  freer  exhalation  secured  by  the  Sanatory 
shoe  had  improved  the  condition  of  my  feet,  but 
the  skin  between  the  toes  could  not  be  said  to  be 
restored  to  a  wholesome  state.  Between  the  great 
toe  and  its  neighbor,  however,  which  were  sepa- 
rated by  the  little  partition  referred  to  above,  and 
by  the  fold  in  the  stocking  which  this  caused,  the 
cleanliness  was  perfect.  I  considered  that  this 
must  be  due  to  the  inside  surfaces  of  the  toes  no 
longer  being  in  contact,  and  I  remembered  that 
persons  who  suffer  much  with  their  feet  find  great 
relief  from  wrapping  a  rag  round  each  toe.  I  was 
thus  led  to  design  a  sock  with  a  separate  recepta- 
cle for  each  toe  as  in  a  glove. 

I  have  now  worn  this  sock  for  about  three 
months,  and  can  say  that  it  completely  attains  its 
object.  The  skin  between  all  my  toes  has  become 
as  clean  and  normal  as  thai  between  the  fingers  of 
the  hand;  all  matter  of  offense  has  departed,  and 
the  toes  are  much  more  supple.  The  improvement 


1 26  The  Nature  of  Disease. 

is  not  confined  to  the  toes,  but  extends  to  the  en- 
tire sole,  particularly  to  the  fore  part,  where  for- 
merly, if  I  walked  much,  I  always  suffered.  Dur- 
ing my  last  foot-tour  I  felt  nothing  of  this,  which 
I  attribute  to  the  ventilation  channels  afforded  to 
the  sole  by  the  double  layer  of  wool  between  each 
toe. 

I  can  therefore  strongly  recommend  this  form  of 
sock  or  stocking  to  every  one  who  is  dissatisfied 
with  the  condition  of  the  feet.  In  cases  where  two 
or  three  toes  have  grown  together,  a  special  con- 
struction of  sock  is,  of  course,  necessary.  There 
need  be  no  fear  of  these  divided-toe  socks  neces- 
sitating unduly  broad  shoes,  if  the  former  be  not 
made  too  thick.  Lastly,  there  is  the  objection  that 
it  requires  more  time  to  draw  them  on.  This  is  so 
at  first,  but  practice  soon  puts  that  right,  and  even 
if  an  extra  minute  be  consumed,  it  is  not  too  much 
to  pay  for  the  pleasure  of  having  the  skin  between 
the  toes  as  pure  and  wholesome  as  that  between 
the  fingers. 

THE   NATURE   OF   DISEASE. 
(1881.) 

TN  many  cases,  of  the  most  various  description, 
the  seat  of  disease  will  be  found  in  the  non- 
sanitary  clothing  and  bedding  rather  than  in  the 
body  of  the  patient.  It  is  an  important  fact  that 
not  only  the  so-called  infectious  diseases,  which 
originate  through  germs,  can  be  conveyed  in  the 
clothing,  but  also  diseases  with  which  germs  cer- 
tainly have  nothing  to  do. 

Clearly,  when   the  seat  of  the  disease  is  in  the 


The  Nature  of  Disease.  127 

clothing  or  bedding,  all  medical  treatment  is  use- 
less which  is  only  applied  to  the  body.  There  are 
cases  which  often  seem  desperate  of  cure;  such  as, 
to  name  the  simplest  of  them,  the  numerous  nerv- 
ous complaints,  especially  of  women;  the  not  less 
numerous  diseases  of  the  digestive  organs,  and 
chronic  catarrh  in  the  breathing  passages.  The 
cures  which  the  adoption  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  works  in  these  disorders  are  sometimes 
called  miraculous;  but  the  only  matter  for  aston- 
ishment is  that  these  simple  diseases  have  hitherto 
defied  successful  treatment. 

A  consideration  of  great  practical  importance  is 
that  the  faculty  of  conveying  the  whole  class  of 
diseases  in  question  extends  even  to  subsidiary  ar- 
ticles of  clothing,  such  as  handkerchiefs,  chemi- 
settes, aprons,  etc.,  when  the  material  is  of  vegeta- 
ble fiber. 

In  assisting  my  readers  to  a  deeper  insight  into 
the  nature  of  these  disease-poisons,  and  to  the 
practicability  of  their  being  conveyed  through  the 
clothing,  I  assume  their  acquaintance  with  what  I 
have  elsewhere  pointed  out.  Vegetable  fiber  has 
the  faculty  of  retaining  disease-poisons,  which,  how- 
ever, do  not  remain  in  animal  wool.  I  also  assume 
that  my  readers  remember  my  distinction  between 
the  "  noxious,"  malodorous  exhalations  of  the  body 
which  vegetable  fibers  absorb,  and  the  "  salutary," 
fragrant  exhalations  which  animal  wool  attracts. 

In  order  to  understand  the  nature  of  disease,  it 
will  be  well  to  inquire,  In  what  does  poison  con- 
sist ?  The  answer  is  that  every  thing,  even  the  salt 
which  we  consume  daily,  and  which  is  an  impor- 
tant constituent  of  our  bodies,  can  become  poison- 


128  The  Nature  of  Disease. 

ous.  The  question  whether  any  substance  is  a 
poison  or  not  is  simply  one  of  quantity  or  concen- 
tration; and  the  reason  why  certain  substances  are 
especially  termed  "  poison"  is  that  such  are  poison- 
ous in  very  small,  while  others  are  only  so  in  very 
large,  quantities. 

Whatever  the  nature  of  this  poisonous  action, 
the  ultimate  consequence  is,  of  course,  the  destruc- 
tion of  life;  but  the  practical  question  is,  how  to 
tell  whether  a  substance,  if  its  action  be  unim- 
peded, will  destroy  life;  in  other  words,  What  are 
the  first  effects  of  a  poison  ? 

Science  has  not  completely  solved  this  problem, 
and  only  knows  the  symptoms  produced  by  special 
poisons,  such  as  arsenic,  lead,  laudanum,  prussic 
acid,  etc.,  but  has  no  general  characterization. 

There  have  been  no  means  of  ascertaining  the 
presence  of  poison  until  it  has  reached  a  dangerous 
degree  of  intensity;  and  thus  the  opportunities  of 
studying  the  symptoms  have  been  exceedingly  rare. 

My  plan  of  nerve-measuring  supplies  such  oppor- 
tunities, so  that  in  the  simplest  manner  and  at  any 
time,  without  incurring  danger  or  needing  the  help 
of  chemistry,  any  one  may  ascertain  whether  a 
thing  be  poisonous  or  not. 

The  final  effect  of  poison  is  death,  t.e.,  cessation 
of  the  voluntary  (as  well  as  of  involuntary)  move- 
ments. The  first  effect  is  the  protraction  of  the 
voluntary  movements.  Therefore,  in  order  to  know 
whether  any  thing  is  poisonous,  it  is  sufficient  to 
measure  the  rapidity  of  the  simplest  accustomed 
voluntary  movement  (for  instance,  the  time  re- 
quired to  effect  a  pressure  with  the  finger  several 
times  in  succession)  at  regular  intervals  of  time; 


The  Nature  of  Disease.  1 29 

then  the  odor  of  the  object  under  examination 
should  be  inhaled  during  ten  to  fifteen  minutes, 
measuring  meanwhile  the  rapidity  of  the  finger- 
pressure  every  ten  seconds.  If  the  substance  be  a 
poison,  the  rapidity  of  the  movement,  either  im- 
mediately, or  after  a  preliminary  increase  of  short 
duration,  declines  with  a  quickness  in  proportion 
to  the  dangerous  nature  of  the  poison. 

When  the  medical  profession  have  once  recog- 
nized the  importance  of  the  discovery,  I  believe 
that  my  method  of  nerve-measuring  will  find  wide 
practical  use  for  this  purpose.  In  my  own  practice 
it  is  of  inestimable  service. 

Now  arises  another  question: 

There  is  no  doubt  that  wild  animals  distinguish 
things  which  are  poisonous  from  those  which  are 
not,  without  the  aid  of  a  nerve-measure.  How  do 
they  accomplish  this  ?  By  smell.  Here  I  must 
again  diverge. 

If  from  any  substance  soluble  in  water  or  spirits 
of  wine  a  series  of  solutions  of  different  degrees  of 
dilution  be  prepared,  the  test  of  the  nerve-measure 
will  show  that  some  one  of  these  solutions  leaves 
the  rapidity  of  the  finger-measure  unaffected.  This 
may  be  termed  an  "  indifferent "  concentration.  All 
more  concentrated  solutions,  in  proportion  as  they 
are  more  strongly  concentrated,  protract  the  finger- 
pressure,  thus  showing  a  poisonous  effect.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  more  diluted  solutions,  in  propor- 
tion to  their  dilution,  quicken  the  finger-pressure; 
this  may  be  described  as  an  animating  effect,  which 
may  be  enhanced  to  a  remarkable  extent  by  con- 
tinued diluting. 

If  the  odor  of  each  of  these  solutions  be  inhaled, 


1 30  The  Nature  of  Disease. 

that  of  the  "indifferent"  concentration  will  be 
found  effectless  one  way  or  the  other;  the  odor 
of  the  stronger  concentrations,  however,  will  be 
more  or  less  repulsive,  while  the  odor  of  the  weaker 
preparations  will  be  pleasant  and  fresh  in  propor- 
tion to  the  degree  to  which  these  are  diluted. 

Or  another  experiment  may  be  tried.  If  a  pleas- 
ant odor  be  concentrated,  as  by  filling  a  room  with 
strongly-scented  flowers,  before  long  the  perfume 
will  have  become  repulsive.  For  this  reason, 
flowers  should  not  be  tolerated  in  bedrooms.  The 
sleeping  person  not  only  absorbs  the  oxygen  of  the 
air,  but  also  its  odorous  elements;  and  the  juices 
of  the  body  will  thus  gradually  be  permeated  by 
flower  perfume  until  a  poisonous  degree  of  concen- 
tration is  reached. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  a  series  of  solutions  of  a 
malodorous  substance,  of  different  degrees  of  con- 
centration, be  prepared,  the  odor  of  the  strongly 
concentrated  solutions  is  offensive;  then  comes  the 
solution  of  the  "indifferent"  stage,  while  the 
weaker  solutions  have  a  pleasant  odor,  which  be- 
comes finer  as  they  are  more  diluted.  Makers  of 
perfumery  are  well  acquainted  with  this  fact,  and 
manufacture  the  finest  perfumes  from  most  repul- 
sive material.  Again,  the  odor  of  a  substance  may, 
when  first  inhaled,  be  fragrant,  and  yet  be  poison- 
ous— for  instance,  spurge-olive  {Daphne  mezereum) 
or  prussic  acid.  The  true  effect,  however,  is  felt  if 
the  inhalation  of  the  odor  be  continued.  Suddenly 
the  fragrant  impression  is  reversed,  the  odor  be- 
comes repulsive,  and  we  know  that  the  thing  is  poi- 
sonous. We  need  only  observe  the  behavior  of  ani- 
mals. If  something  unknown  be  thrown  to  them, 


The  Nature  of  Disease.  131 

it  is  long  and  thoroughly  smelled,  exactly  as  I  pro- 
ceed when  testing  with  my  nerve-measure.  Only 
when,  after  prolonged  inhalation,  the  odor  remains 
pleasant  will  animals  consent  to  eat  unknown 
things,  while,  if  the  odor  changes,  the  thing  is  re- 
jected; therefore  an  animal  can  only  be  induced  to 
take  poison  when  this  is  concealed  in  something 
with  which  it  is  familiar,  and  which  it  therefore 
considers  unnecessary  to  test;  or  the  poison  must 
be  so  wrapped  up  that  it  cannot  be  smelled. 

In  short,  poison  is  whatever  has  a  repulsive  odor, 
and  all  volatile  matters  smell  repulsively  as  soon 
as,  by  inhaling  them,  their  concentration  in  the 
juices  of  the  body  exceeds  a  certain  intensity. 

With  these  preliminary  remarks,  I  will  now  ad- 
dress myself  to  the  solution  of  the  question  with 
which  I  started.  The  human  body  incessantly 
produces  volatile  matters — odors — which  may  be 
smelled.  These  are  not  of  themselves  poisons,  but 
normal  constituent  parts,  or  products,  of  the  body, 
which,  indeed,  when  sufficiently  diluted,  may,  from 
their  animating  effect,  be  very  useful  constituents 
of  the  bodily  juices.  These  odors,  however,  become 
poisons  as  soon  as  the  degree  of  their  concentra- 
tion in  the  bodily  juices  exceeds  a  certain  height. 
Unsanatory  clothing  and  bedding  are  quite  enough 
to  produce  this  effect,  particularly  in  badly  ven- 
tilated rooms. 

The  body  continually  exhales  through  the  skin 
and  lungs  these  odorous  matters,  which  are  readily 
absorbed  by  clothing  made  from  material  of  vegeta- 
ble fiber.  The  astounding  quantity  of  repulsive 
odor  which  such  clothing  will  take  up  may  be 
shown  by  removing  the  cotton  padding  from  un- 


132  The  Nature  of  Disease. 

der  the  armpit  of  a  coat  which  has  been  long  worn, 
slightly  wetting  it,  and  passing  a  hot  iron  over  it. 

If  the  odorous  matters  were  firmly  fixed  in  these 
textures,  they  would  be  less  dangerous,  but  every 
minute  increase  in  temperature,  and  especially 
every  moistening  of  the  material,  causes  them  to 
evaporate. 

A  portion  rises  with  the  warmth  of  the  body  and 
is  again  inhaled,  and  another  portion  mixes  with 
the  air  under  the  clothes,  interfering  with  the  ex- 
haling action  of  the  skin.  Thus  the  concentration 
of  these  odors  in  the  juices  of  the  body  reaches  a 
point  at  which  they  are  poisonous. 

I  must  here  refer  to  the  tendency  of  clothes  to 
store  up  odorous  matters. 

If  at  night  water  be  placed  in  a  dish  or  bottle  in 
a  closed,  occupied  sleeping-room,  the  water  next 
morning  will  taste  and  smell  abominably.  The 
popular  explanation,  that  the  water  has  lost  some- 
thing, is  wrong.  The  water  has  become  perme- 
ated by  the  poisonous  exhalations  in  the  room. 
This  not  only  happens  to  water  but  also  to  all  vege- 
table fiber  in  the  room.  The  linen  or  cotton  shirt 
lying  on  a  chair  near  the  bed  absorbs  these  odors 
throughout  the  night  precisely  as  does  the  water, 
and  the  same  thing  goes  on  in  the  drawers  and 
cupboards  in  which  the  so-called  clean  linen  is  ly- 
ing. It  is  generally  thought  that  when  linen  has 
been  washed  it  must  be  clean  ;  but  scarcely  has 
the  linen,  by  washing  and  wringing,  been  made  to 
yield  up  a  part  (by  no  means  the  whole)  of  the  odors 
it  has  absorbed,  and  is  neatly  laid  away,  than  it 
begins  again,  if  placed  in  an  occupied  room,  to  ab- 
sorb a  fresh  stock  of  poison,  before  it  is  worn.  Let 


The  Nature  of  Disease.  1 3  3 

any  one  who  doubts  this,  take  a  linen  or  cotton 
garment,  which,  after  being  washed,  has  thus  been 
lying  by  for  some  time,  or  a  linen  or  cotton  cur- 
tain with  which  no  one  has  come  in  contact;  and  he 
will  find,  if  the  garment  or  curtain  be  wetted  and 
ironed,  that  an  offensive  odor  will  be  exhaled  from 
it.  The  tendency  of  a  substance  to  become  more 
volatile  in  proportion  to  the  warmth  of  the  air,  and 
inversely,  to  be  precipitated  and  to  deposit  itself 
somewhere  when  the  atmosphere  is  colder,  is  partly 
the  reason  why  the  summer  is  a  healthier  season 
than  the  winter.  In  summer  the  odorous  matters 
are  dissipated  in  the  air,  where  they  are  destroyed 
by  electricity,  or  are  washed  by  the  rain  into  the 
ground,  which  readily  absorbs  them,  or  are  con- 
sumed by  the  leaves  of  plants.  In  winter,  on  the 
other  hand,  these  odorous  matters  sink,  especially 
at  night,  when  the  room  is  cold,  like  dew,  into  all 
materials  of  vegetable  fiber,  such  as  linen  or  cotton 
clothing,  etc.  A  shirt  which  was  not  so  permeated 
with  "  noxious"  exhalations  as  to  have  been  unwhole- 
some when  its  wearer  took  it  off  in  the  evening, 
may  attain  this  degree  during  the  night,  and  when 
it  is  afterwards  warmed  upon  the  body  the  mis- 
chief is  let  loose. 

Conversely,  the  bed  may,  as  long  as  it  is  occu- 
pied, be  free  from  the  above-named  concentration, 
but  the  air  maybe  full  of  odorous  matter,  which,  if 
the  window  be  not  opened  immediately  on  rising, 
will  sink  like  unwholesome  dew  upon  the  materials 
of  vegetable  fiber  in  the  bed,  in  proportion  as  the 
latter  cools.  When  the  bed  is  next  warmed  by 
the  body  of  its  occupant  the  mischief  is  again 
let  loose, 


1 34  The  Sanatory  Woolen  Bed. 

I  would  ask  my  German  lady  readers  what  they 
suppose  happens  when  the  beds  are  placed,  during 
summer,  in  the  sun,  as  is  the  practice  in  Germany. 
If  they  do  not  know,  I  beg  of  them  to  use  their 
noses,  and  they  will  find  that  the  doubtful — if  not 
offensive — smelling  bedding  has  acquired  in  the 
sunshine  a  fresh,  pleasant  smell,  and  the  next 
night's  sleep  is  most  refreshing.  The  sun,  by  ex- 
pelling part  of  the  odorous  matter,  has  converted 
or  diluted  the  poisonous  degree  of  concentration 
into  a  degree  that  is  not  poisonous,  and  the  efflu- 
via into  fragrancy;  but  the  pleasure  is  of  short 
duration,  as  the  old  degree  of  concentration  is  soon 
reached  again.  In  summer  this  does  not  matter  so 
much — the  bedding  can  be  again  placed  in  the  sun 
— but  in  winter  this  is  impracticable.  Thus,  in 
winter,  when  the  sparrow  on  the  roof  is  as  healthy 
as  in  summer,  so  many  human  beings,  however 
cleanly,  are,  through  the  evil  emanations  from 
their  beds,  chilly,  sickly,  troubled  with  cough, 
headache,  vapors,  palpitation  of  the  heart,  rheuma- 
tism, and,  perhaps,  worse  complaints  still;  out  of 
humor,  poisoned,  and — poisonous.  The  simple 
remedy  is  to  throw  away  sheets,  quilts,  counter- 
panes, etc.,  to  sleep  in  and  on  pure  wool  only,  and 
to  ventilate  the  room  by  opening  the  window  be- 
fore going  to  bed. 

THE  SANATORY  WOOLEN  BED. 

(1882.) 

Sanitary  Woolen   System  requires  that  the 
materials  of  the  bedding  and  clothing  shall 
consist  of  animal  fibers  only.     As  regards  the  stuff- 


The  Sanatory  Woolen  Bed.  135 

ing  of  mattresses  and  pillows,  feathers  are  good 
anpl  sanitary,  but  are  only  admissible  in  pillows, 
and  even  these  are  too  soft,  and  too  apt  to  work 
through  the  felt  covering.  For  the  stuffing  of 
mattresses,  only  two  materials  are  permissible — 
horsehair  and  wool. 

The  horsehair  of  commerce  is  assumed  to  be 
animal  fiber,  but  considerable  deception  on  this 
point  is  practiced  by  unprincipled  dealers.  These 
pay,  perhaps,  35.  per  Ib.  for  horsehair,  and  probably 
not  less  for  oxen  and  cow  hair,  which  would  do 
equally  well.  When,  therefore,  professedly  horse- 
hair mattresses,  weighing  25  Ibs.,  are  sold  at  from 
755.  to  905.,  how  can  the  contents  be  pure  animal 
hair?  Where  would  be  the  profits  of  the  dealer 
and  the  manufacturer  ?  There  are  various  vegeta- 
ble substitutes  which  so  resemble  horsehair  that 
they  can  only  be  distinguished  from  it  by  the  clos- 
est examination — for  instance,  the  so-called  shadow- 
grass;  and  unadulterated  horsehair  is  nowadays 
even  more  rare  than  unadulterated  wine.  This  un- 
certainty, and  the  much  higher  price  of  horsehair, 
led  to  the  selection  of  wool  as  the  material  for 
stuffing  the  Sanatory  mattress. 

Here,  however,  other  obstacles  arose.  Only  car- 
bonized wool — i.e.,  wool  from  which  all  admix- 
ture of  vegetable  fiber  has  been  chemically  sep- 
arated and  destroyed — can  be  relied  on  as  pure. 
Even  among  the  raw  material  are  scattered  bits  of 
straw,  and  hay,  and  burrs.  But  mattresses  stuffed 
with  carbonized  or  raw  wool  would  not  be  suffi- 
ciently elastic,  and  would  become,  after  short  use, 
as  hard  as  boards. 

The  present  manufacturer  of  the  Sanatory  Wool- 


136  The  Sanatory  Woolen  Bed. 

en  bedding  had,  however,  been  accustomed  to 
furnish  wool-stuffed  mattresses,  although  inclosed 
in  a  linen  ticking,  as  completely  and  lastingly 
elastic  as  the  best  horsehair  mattresses.  This 
stuffing  was  provided  from  tailors'  clippings  (there- 
fore, of  unworn  clean  material),  coarsely  shredded. 
By  forming  this  material  into  balls,  which  are 
placed  close  together  and  surrounded  by  carbon- 
ized wool,  an  excellent  elastic  stuffing  is  obtained. 
Until  I  entered  into  relations  with  this  manufac- 
turer, tailors*  clippings  of  mixed  materials,  as  well 
as  those  of  all  wool,  were  used  indiscriminately  to 
stuff  mattresses.  At  that  time  I  had  a  clear  per- 
ception of  the  sanatory  effects  of  wool,  but  I  was 
not  so  well  acquainted  with  the  unsanatory  nature 
of  linen.  I  knew  the  benefits  of  wool,  but  had  not 
fathomed  the  pernicious  qualities  of  vegetable 
fiber.  I  considered  it  sufficient  if  (i)  the  cover- 
ings, (2)  the  mattress  ticking,  (3)  the  upper  layer 
of  mattress  stuffing,  were  of  pure  wool,  and  I  saw 
no  disadvantage  in  vegetable  fiber  being  mingled 
with  the  innermost  stuffing  of  the  mattress. 

As  soon,  however,  as  I  obtained  the  necessary 
insight  into  the  injurious  influence  of  vegetable 
fiber,  even  when  not  actually  in  contact  with  the 
body,  I  required  that  such  of  the  tailors'  clippings 
as  were  not  of  pure  wool  should  be  carefully  sorted 
out.  To  this  the  manufacturer  agreed,  premising, 
however,  that  it  was  impossible  absolutely  to  in- 
sure that  no  clipping  adulterated  with  cotton,  or 
with  tailors'  thread  sewed  in  it,  would  escape  the 
attention  of  the  sorters.  These  clippings  cannot 
be  carbonized,  as  the  process  is  only  practicable 
with  half- woolen  material,  in  which  one  thread  is 


The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer.  137 

all  wool  and  the  other  all  cotton  ;  the  destruction 
of  the  latter  by  carbonization  leaves  only  the  sepa- 
rate woolen  threads,  which  easily  dry.  But  when 
cotton  is  mixed  with  each  thread  of  the  material, 
carbonization  does  not  cause  the  web  to  fall  to 
pieces,  and  the  consequent  difficulty  of  drying  the 
material  makes  the  process  too  costly  and  trouble- 
some. The  absolute  purity  of  the  stuffing  of  the 
pillows  is  even  more  important  than  that  of  the 
mattresses,  and  it  is  hoped  that  this  at  least  can  be 
secured. 

In  view  of  the  difficulty  of  procuring  pure  wool- 
en stuffing  material,  I  suggest  that  worn-out  pure 
woolen  clothing  should  be  washed  in  water,  pulled 
to  pieces,  and  preserved  in  linen  bags  (for  fear  of 
moth)  until  sufficient  has  accumulated  to  stuff  a 
pillow  or  a  mattress.  This  material  has  the  addi- 
tional advantage  of  being  permeated  by  the  "  salu- 
tary" principle  which  I  have  elsewhere  described 
as  the  body's  inherent  medicine  ;  and  worn-out 
pure  woolen  clothing  is  therefore  especially  suita- 
ble and  wholesome  when  thus  used  as  stuffing  for 
the  mattresses  and  pillows  of  its  former  wearers. 

THE  PLATINUM  LAMP  DEODORIZER. 

(1882.) 

T  HAVE  long  felt  that  the  difficulty  of  properly 
ventilating  living  rooms  in  winter  constitutes  a 
principal  obstacle  to  the  practical  carrying-out  of 
my  system,  which,  in  addition  to  its  title  of  "  Sani- 
tary  Woolen,"  may  be   termed   a   "Pure   Air,"  or 
"Anti-offensive  Odors   System."     I   was  therefore 
anxious  for  the  experience  of  the  past  winter,  as, 
10 


138  The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer. 

hitherto,  at  that  season,  the  confinement  indoors 
had  invariably  led  to  my  being  troubled  with  a 
cough,  although  every  year  in  a  lesser  degree  since 
I  adopted  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System.  This  win- 
ter the  cough  made  no  sign  until  Christmas  Eve, 
when  I  read  aloud  to  my  family  uninterruptedly 
for  nearly  three  hours,  from  a  new  book.  Towards 
the  end  of  the  reading  I  became  hoarse,  and  the 
next  morning  the  old  trouble  in  the  throat  had  re- 
appeared. There  would  be  nothing  very  remark- 
able in  my  having  become  hoarse  after  reading 
aloud  for  three  hours,  but  for  my  experience  of  a 
fortnight  previously,  when  I  had  lectured  on  two 
consecutive  days,  at  Mlilhausen  and  Basel,  respect- 
ing the  Sanitary  Woolen  System.  On  the  first  day 
the  conversation,  lecture,  and  discussion  lasted 
almost  without  interruption  from  2  P.M.  to  3  A.M.,  or 
thirteen  hours;  on  the  second  day,  from  n  A.M.  to 
i  A.M.,  or  fourteen  hours;  yet  I  was  in  no  way  ren- 
dered hoarse  by  these  exertions.  It  was  therefore 
clear  that  there  must  be  some  other  cause  for  the 
hoarseness  on  Christmas  Eve  than  the  mere  me- 
chanical exertion  of  the  organs  of  speech.  When  I 
referred  to  the  circumstance  the  next  day,  my 
'  daughter,  who  attends  a  weekly  meeting  for  the 
purpose  of  reading  aloud,  remarked  that  hoarse- 
ness sets  in  much  sooner  in  reading  aloud  than  in 
ordinary  speaking,  and  she  attributed  this  to  the 
smell  of  the  paper.  This  observation  served  to  ex- 
plain to  me  the  sudden  affection  of  my  throat,  and 
to  afford  another  confirmation  of  the  injurious 
effects  of  vegetable  fibers  on  the  health.  I  was 
thus  led  to  consider  in  what  manner  I  could  im- 
prove the  unwholesome  atmosphere  engendered  by 


The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer.  139 

the  mass  of  papers  and  books  with  which  my  study 
is  crowded;  and  my  glance  fell  on  a  small  object 
which  had  stood  in  my  room  unused  for  nearly 
two  years — the  spirit  lamp,  with  platinum  spiral, 
constructed  by  the  well-known  DOBEREINER. 

The  lamp  was  recommended  to  me  some  time 
ago  as  a  contrivance  for  sustaining  the  diffusion  of 
perfumes  in  the  atmosphere  of  rooms,  and  I  in- 
tended when  I  purchased  it  that  it  should  diffuse 
odors  by  which  I  might  illustrate  my  lectures,  but 
I  never  happened  to  make  the  experiment.  I  now, 
however,  determined  to  use  the  lamp  in  order  to 
disperse  about  the  room  that  admirable  agent  for 
destroying  odors — ozogen — and  the  result  quite 
exceeded  my  expectations. 

The  instrument  in  question  is  an  ordinary  glass 
spirit  lamp,  with  a  spiral-shaped  thread  of  plati- 
num encircling  the  upper  end  of  the  wick.  When 
the  lamp  is  lighted  it  burns  with  a  flame,  but  as 
soon  as  the  platinum  spiral  glows  and  the  metal 
holder  of  the  wick  is  sufficiently  warm,  the  flame 
will  either  expire,  or,  if  this  be  delayed  too  long, 
may  be  extinguished  by  rapidly  popping  the  glass 
cover  on  and  off  again,  when  the  platinum  spiral 
will  remain  in  a  glow  until  all  the  spirit  in  the 
lamp  has  evaporated,  for  platinum  has  the  remark- 
able faculty  of  continuing  to  glow  in  warm  spirit- 
vapor. 

The  practical  effect  of  this  is,  that  as  the  air  imme- 
diately surrounding  the  spiral  becomes  heated  it 
rises,  and  is  replaced  by  air  drawn  in  from  all 
sides  under  the  glowing  spiral,  through  which  it 
is  compelled  to  pass,  causing  all  combustible  mat- 
ter contained  in  the  air  to  be  consumed.  If  half  a 


140  The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer. 

dozen  smokers  were  to  endeavor  to  fill  with  tobacco 
smoke  an  ordinary-sized  room  in  which  such  a 
lamp  is  burning,  they  would  not  succeed.  The 
fumes  would  be  constantly  drawn  through  the 
lamp  and  consumed.  The  same  thing  happens 
to  all  odorous  matters  in  the  atmosphere  of  the 
room.  If  the  platinum  lamp  be  lighted  in  a  room 
after  dinner,  however  strongly  the  atmosphere  may 
have  been  charged  with  odors,  in  a  few  minutes  all 
trace  of  them  will  have  vanished. 

This  effect  of  the  lamp  in  purifying  the  air  was 
already  known  to  others,  and  was,  therefore,  not 
discovered  by  me.  What  I  did  discover  is,  that  if 
a  small  quantity  of  ozogen  be  mixed  with  the  spirit, 
this  is  not  at  once  consumed,  but  continuously 
mingles  with  the  atmosphere  in  very  fine  propor- 
tions. Its  action  is  then  twofold  :  it  destroys  all 
offensive  smells  in  the  atmosphere  ;  and  it  is  in- 
haled into  the  body,  where  it  develops  this  deodor* 
izing  faculty  in  an  extraordinary  manner. 

Quoting  my  own  experience  as  a  guide  for  others, 
I  may  state  that  I  was  formerly  greatly  troubled 
with  indigestion.  Under  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem the  daily  recurrence  of  flatulence  and  heartburn 
had  nearly  ceased,  but  they  were  occasionally  still 
felt,  especially  in  winter,  although  in  a  much  milder 
form.  My  suffering  from  wind  in  the  intestines 
had  not,  however,  undergone  so  radical  a  change  ; 
I  was  much  less  troubled,  but  still  it  made  itself 
felt  daily.  In  the  last  seven  weeks,  during  which 
I  have  allowed  the  platinum  lamp  to  burn  in  my 
study  and  sitting-room  throughout  each  day,  a  very 
great  alteration  has  taken  place.  Of  flatulence  and 
heartburn  there  has  not  been  the  least  trace,  while 


The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer.  141 

the  trouble  from  wind  has  been  reduced  to  a  van- 
ishing point. 

The  deodorizing  influence  of  the  platinum  lamp 
has  extended  to  the  evacuations,  which  are  much 
less  offensive,  and  have  been  delayed  for  several 
hours  without  any  detrimental  effect.  This  last 
circumstance  is  strong  evidence  of  the  correctness 
of  my  doctrine  of  the  ordinary  sensations — that 
they  are  all,  without  exception,  produced  by  odor- 
ous matters.  The  necessity  in  question  is  locally 
felt,  just  as  is  the  opposite  sensation  of  hunger,  but 
is  actually  due  to  the  odorous  emanations  from  the 
digested  food  having  reached  a  certain  concentra- 
tion in  the  body.  The  subsequent  relief  is  not 
merely  mechanical,  but  is  caused  by  the  removal 
of  these  "  noxious"  emanations,  with  their  depress- 
ing and  disabling  influence  on  the  whole  system. 
This  concentration  is  retarded  by  the  deodorizing 
effect  of  the  ozogen  dispersed  by  the  platinum 
lamp.  It  is  a  common  experience  that  in  traveling, 
and  generally  with  change  of  air,  the  necessity 
above  referred  to  is  absent,  even  for  days;  the  rea- 
son being  that  the  impulse  given  by  the  unaccus- 
tomed air  to  the  exhalation  of  the  skin  prevents 
the  required  concentration  of  odorous  matter. 

If  we  consider  the  great  influence,  on  the  health, 
of  the  gases  which  accumulate  in  the  intestines, 
and  which  must  be  abnormal,  inasmuch  as  healthy 
wild  animals  are  free  from  them,  the  experience 
described  above  is  highly  significant. 

The  lamp,  however,  has  one  objection,  which 
should  not  be  too  lightly  estimated.  When  I  com- 
menced to  burn  it  I  was  warned  that  minute  quan- 
tities of  platinum  would  evaporate,  and  induce 


142  The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer. 

* 

headache.  This  result  at  length  made  itself  felt 
after  the  lamp  had  been  burning  for  several  weeks, 
and  its  use  had  to  be  discontinued  for  some  days, 
until  the  headache  disappeared.  This  places  a 
restriction  on  the  use  of  the  lamp.  Some  persons 
will  not  be  able  to  endure  it  very  long,  while  those 
who  are  less  sensitive  should  only  employ  it  when 
ordinary  means  of  ventilation  are  not  forthcoming, 
and  even  then  not  for  too  lengthy  a  period,  extin- 
guishing the  lamp  as  soon  as  the  head  is  in  any 
way  affected. 

While  I  was  quite  unprepared  to  find  that  the 
platinum  lamp  would  accomplish  all  that  I  have 
described,  I  was  also  struck  with  what  it  failed  to 
accomplish.  I  had  hoped  that  its  effect  on  the 
atmosphere  of  the  rooms  would  have  removed  the 
disturbance  in  my  throat,  but  such  was  not  the  case. 
The  complaint  certainly  assumed  so  mild  a  form 
that  I  was  able,  on  the  occasion  of  a  lecture  which 
I  gave  at  Basel,  to  speak  for  twenty-eight  out  of 
the  sixty  hours  of  my  entire  absence  from  home, 
twenty-four  hours  being  spent  on  the  railway, 
and  five  in  sleep ;  yet  my  throat  was  rather 
better  than  worse  afterwards,  but  became  more 
hoarse  a  week  later,  when  I  lectured  and  spoke  for 
a  period  of  seven  hours.  It  improved,  however, 
when  the  barometer  fell,  and  there  was  more  stir 
in  the  outside  atmosphere,  to  the  stagnation  in 
which  the  affection  in  the  throat  was  due,  and  not 
to  the  air  in  the  rooms,  which  had  been  purified 
and  deodorized  by  the  platinum  lamp  and  ozogen. 

I  recommend  the  use  of  the  lamp  in  badly  ven- 
tilated rooms,  such  as  workrooms,  offices,  school- 
rooms, and  in  cases  where,  out  of  consideration  for 


The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer.  143 

others,  the  ventilation  is  insufficient.  Persons  who 
believe  that  they  cannot  sleep  with  the  window 
open,  whether  on  account  of  cold,  or  of  chronic  ill- 
ness, or  because  of  the  vicinity  of  some  evil-smell- 
ing locality,  should  deodorize  the  atmosphere  of 
their  rooms  with  this  lamp,  bearing  in  mind  that 
when  it  is  allowed  to  burn  too  long  in  a  room  of 
moderate  dimensions  it  may  induce  headache. 
Lastly,  all  sufferers  from  the  disorders  which  I  have 
indicated  as  arising  during  the  period  of  digestion 
will  find  great  relief  by  burning  the  lamp. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  USE  OF  THE  PLATINUM  LAMP. 

The  spirits  of  wine  must  have  a  strength  of  96° 
"  Tralles/'  or  the  platinum  spiral  will  not  glow, 
and  must  be  perfectly  free  from  fusel-oil,  which  is 
otherwise  diffused  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  room. 
Many  disappointments  have  been  caused  by  using 
too  weak  spirit. 

Before  lighting  a  wick  for  the  first  time,  both 
wick  and  spiral  should  be  well  sprinkled  with  spirit, 
and  the  circular  rim  of  the  metal  wick-holder 
should  be  filled.  The  flame  should  burn  three  or 
four  minutes,  or  half  that  time  for  a  wick  already 
in  use,  in  order  to  draw  up  sufficient  spirit  into  the 
wick  to  keep  the  platinum  glowing.  When  the 
flame  has  burned  sufficiently  long,  the  glass  cover 
should  be  popped  quickly  on  and  off  again,  extin- 
guishing the  flame,  when  the  platinum  spiral  will 
continue  to  glow  until  the  supply  of  spirit  is  con- 
sumed. 

Great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  wick  does 
not  touch  the  spiral  at  any  point.  The  spirals  of 
the  latter  must  not  be  too  close,  or  ashes  and  dirt 


144  The  Platinum  Lamp  Deodorizer. 

(taken  from  the  air)  will  accumulate,  preventing 
the  passage  of  air.  When  the  platinum  is  glowing, 
the  distances  between  the  spirals  may  easily  be 
adjusted,  if  necessary,  with  the  help  of  a  needle. 

By  pushing  the  wick  up  or  down,  more  or  less*  of 
the  spirals  can  be  made  to  glow,  but  three  or  four 
are  sufficient. 

The  lamp  should  be  protected  from  draught,  but 
if  a  light  current  of  air  causes  the  flame  to  revive, 
the  spirals  are  too  far  apart,  and  should  be  gently 
compressed  downwards. 

To  extinguish  the  glow,  the  glass  cover  is  placed 
over  it,  and  should  be  left  until  the  lamp  is  again 
required,  as  otherwise  the  spirit  will  evaporate. 

The  lamp  should  not  be  allowed  to  continue  to 
glow  until  all  the  spirit  is  consumed,  or  the  wick 
will  char.  If  this  happen,  the  charred  portion 
must  be  removed,  and  the  wick  tied  round  with 
thin  thread,  and  trimmed  with  scissors,  so  that  it 
may  be  isolated  from  the  platinum. 

A  few  drops  of  eau  de  Cologne  or  other  perfume 
added  to  the  spirit  will  be  continuously  imparted 
to  the  atmosphere.  The  important  deodorizing 
effect  of  mixing  ozogen  with  the  spirit  has  already 
been  explained.  The  usual  proportion  of  ozogen 
to  one  filling  of  the  lamp  is  15  to  20  drops,  but 
varies  according  to  the  size  of  the  room  and  the 
number  of  persons  in  it.  For  very  large  rooms  and 
theaters,  two  or  more  lamps  are  necessary. 

If  the  spiral  be  so  dirty  as  to  interfere  with  its 
glowing,  it  may  be  removed,  carefully  rolled  into  a 
coil,  and  polished  bright;  it  should  then  be  re- 
twisted  on  the  glass  tube  furnished  for  the  purpose 
into  a  spiral  shape,  and  applied  once  or  twice  round 


Writers  Cramp.  145 

the  bottom  end  of  the  wick-holder,  to  which  it  will 
then  cling. 

WRITERS'  CRAMP. 
(1882.) 

A  FRIEND,  who  is  over  60  years  of  age,  and  who 
•  has  not  yet  adopted  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem in  its  entirety,  writes  to  me:  "Your  account 
of  the  effect  on  your  throat  of  the  smell  of  the 
paper  from  which  you  were  reading  aloud,  set  me 
thinking,  as  I  write  daily  for  several  hours,  and  have 
always  much  occupied  myself  with  paper.  You  may 
perhaps  remember  that  I  have  complained  to  you 
respecting  cold  in  the  hands,  especially  in  the  fin- 
gers. Particularly  when  writing,  even  in  a  warm 
room,  the  cold  seemed  to  penetrate  to  the  bone. 
My  attention  having  been  aroused  by  your  remarks 
respecting  paper,  I  laid  a  piece  of  woolen  cloth  on 
my  writing  paper,  so  that  the  latter  no  longer  came 
into  direct  contact  with  the  fingers.  I  immediately 
experienced  a  remarkable  improvement,  and  now, 
after  trying  this  device  for  several  weeks,  I  am 
completely  freed  from  the  inconvenience  referred 
to." 

This  communication  led  me  to  suggest  that  the 
exceedingly  troublesome  complaint  of  writers' 
cramp,  by  which  many  have  been  deprived  of  the 
means  of  earning  their  living,  and  with  which  med- 
ical science  has  hitherto  found  it  so  difficult  to  deal, 
is  due  to  the  influence  of  the  vegetable  fiber  of 
paper,  and  may  be  cured  by  the  use  of  a  strip  of 
woolen  material  under  the  hand.  The  accuracy  of 
this  conjecture  has  been  strikingly  confirmed  by 


146     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

the  well-known  scholar  and  author,  FR.  v.  HELL- 
WALD,  who  informs  me  that  he  has  acted  on  my 
suggestion,  and  has  since  been  entirely  free  from 
writers'  cramp.  Others  have  written  me  to  a  sim- 
ilar effect, 

THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF  COLORS  OR 
DYES.— I. 

(1882.) 

^PHE  difficulties  which  surround  the  investiga- 
tion of  this  subject,  whether  from  a  scientific 
or  a  practical  point  of  view,  are  considerable.  In 
the  first  place,  many  different  chemical  substances 
and  combinations  of  substances  have  to  be  taken 
into  account  ;  secondly,  the  matter  is  embarrassed 
by  the  inability  to  ascertain  with  what  dye  a  ma- 
terial has  been  treated;  for,  in  the  division  of  labor 
involved  in  the  production,  the  material  may  have 
passed  through  several  hands  after  it  has  left  the 
dyer,  who,  moreover,  often  regards  his  method  of 
procedure  as  a  business  secret.  Notwithstanding 
these  obstacles,  I  have  arrived  at  a  point  where  I 
can  lay  down  certain  principles,  accompanied  by 
the  needful  explanation  ;  and  I  can  do  this  the 
more  easily  because  there  is  a  remarkable  analogy 
between  these  principles  and  those  on  which  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  is  based.  Although  in 
the  essay  on  "  The  Nature  of  Disease"  I  have 
already  stated  the  following  fundamental  truths, 
they  cannot  be  too  deeply  inculcated,  and  I  there- 
fore recapitulate  them. 

If  a  strongly  concentrated  odor  be  inhaled,  or  a 
strongly  concentrated  fluid  be  swallowed,  the  smell 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     147 

or  taste  is  repulsive;  the  rapidity  of  the  voluntary 
movements,  as  measured  by  the  stop-watch  (see 
page  7),  is  retarded;  the  limbs  feel  heavy,  as  if 
fatigued;  the  breathing  is  more  difficult,  particu- 
larly when  an  odor  is  inhaled;  the  flesh  becomes 
soft;  the  body  is  distended;  the  heart  beats  more 
quickly  and  less  regularly;  the  mood  is  depressed. 
In  other  words,  such  concentrated  matters  induce 
feelings  of  weariness,  weakness,  languor,  and  de- 
pression; and  if  the  degree  of  concentration  be  in- 
tensified to  a  certain  point,  death  will  result. 

Rarefied  or  diluted  matters  have  a  pleasant  smell 
or  taste,  and  are  appropriately  termed  "  fine."  The 
rapidity  of  the  voluntary  movements  when  meas- 
ured, as  before  stated,  is  enhanced;  there  is  a  sense 
of  lightness  and  vigor  in  the  limbs;  the  breathing 
is  easy;  the  heart  beats  strongly  but  slowly;  the 
mood  is  cheerful;  in  short,  they  have  a  cheering, 
freshening,  invigorating,  and  wholesome  effect. 
Rarefied  or  diluted  matters  are  therefore  conducive 
to  health  and  life,  while  concentrated  matters  en- 
gender illness  and  are  poisonous. 

On  these  fundamental  facts  are  based  the  follow- 
ing principles  respecting  the  sanitary  importance 
of  colors  :  It  is  well  known  that  dark  are  less 
healthy  than  light  colors.  Coloring  matter  in  a 
concentrated  condition  is  dark,  and,  in  a  rarefied 
condition,  light.  When  evaporation  from  coloring 
matter  is  inhaled,  the  odor  from  the  dark  color  is 
concentrated,  and  from  the  light  color  is  rarefied. 
The  distinction  is  especially  noticeable  in  summer, 
because,  in  the  sun,  dark  colors  absorb  more  heat, 
and  therefore  evaporate  more  freely  than  light 
colors.  This  explains  why  darkly  dyed  clothing  is 


148     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

particularly  disagreeable  in  summer,  rendering  the 
atmosphere  hot,  oppressive,  and  exhausting. 

It  is  clear  from  the  foregoing  that  the  greater  or 
less  readiness  with  which  a  coloring  matter  evapo- 
rates constitutes  an  important  difference.  From 
this,  two  deductions  may  be  made. 

1.  Natural  colors    are    preferable    to    artificial. 
Whenever  natural  coloring  matter  is  present  in  hair 
or  wool  it  is  not  situated  on  the  surface;   either  the 
inner  pith  of  the  hair  is  colored,  or,  when  the  outer 
stratum  of  the   hair,  which  consists  of  numerous 
very  minute  spindle-shaped  cells,   is  colored,  the 
coloring  matter  is  found  in  the  center  of  each  cell, 
while  the  rind  of  the  cell  is  colorless.     This  may 
be  verified  by  examining  through  the   microscope 
black    horsehair  resolved    by  sulphuric  acid    into 
separate  cells.     With  dyed  hair  the  coloring  matter 
is  at  best  equally  distributed  in  the  hair,  and  will 
clearly  evaporate  more  easily  than  natural  coloring 
matter,  as  it  lies  partly  on  the  surface,  while  the 
latter  is  completely  inclosed. 

2.  "  Fast  "  dyes — f.e.9  those  which  do  not  fade — 
are  more  wholesome  than  dyes  which  fade  readily. 
The   fading    is    generally,  although    not   always, 
caused  by  evaporation.     A  dye  which  fades  rapidly, 
therefore,  gives    off   a  concentrated  vapor,  and  is 
thus  injurious.     A  dye  which  fades  or  evaporates 
little,  gives  off  a  rarefied  vapor,  and  is   therefore 
wholesome.     Whether  a  color  will  fade  quickly  or 
slowly  will  depend  partly  upon  the  volatility  of  the 
coloring  matter,  as  also  on  whether  the  latter  sim- 
ply rests  upon  the  fiber  or  saturates  it.     The  fore- 
going explains  the  important  difference   between 
indigo-black  and  other  black  dyes;  the  former,  as 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     149 

a  much  "  faster"  dye,  is  considerably  less  injurious 
than  the  rapidly  fading  logwood  dyes.  Among  the 
lighter  coloring  matters,  cochineal  is  notoriously 
the  "fastest,"  and  accordingly  it  is  wholesome. 

Of  the  foregoing  propositions  the  leading  one  is 
sustained  by  the  following  circumstance.  Coloring 
matters  not  only  affect  the  health  directly  through 
their  own  nature,  but  also  by  their  relation  to  the 
exhalations  of  the  body.  Such  coloring  matters  as 
attract  the  "  noxious  "  exhalations  are  inferior  to 
those  which  attract  the  "salutary"  exhalations. 

The  precise  quantity  of  odorous  matter  which  a 
solid  body  (in  this  case  a  coloring  matter)  attracts, 
depends,  when  other  conditions  are  equal,  on  its 
own  bulk;  in  other  words,  on  the  degree  of  its  con- 
centration :  a  concentrated — i.e.,  dark — coloring 
matter  attracts  more  odorous  matter  (because  it 
represents  a  greater  bulk)  than  will  the  same  color- 
ing matter  when  rarefied — t.e.,  in  a  lighter  shade. 
Another  firmly  established  fact  is,  that  all  matter, 
when  concentrated  to  a  certain  point,  becomes  in- 
jurious, some  reaching  this  point  sooner,  and  some 
later.  The  difference  between  the  "  salutary  "  and 
"  noxious"  matters  of  the  exhalations  of  the  body 
is  merely  that  the  former  require  a  higher,  and  the 
latter  a  lower,  degree  of  concentration  to  become 
injurious.  Hence  it  follows  that  whether  a  color- 
ing matter  attracts  in  preference  the  "  salutary"  or 
the  "  noxious  "  matters,  it  will  be  more  wholesome 
in  accordance  with  the  smallness  of  the  quantity  of 
odor  which  it  takes  up;  and  this  again  depends 
upon  its  own  degree  of  concentration — that  is  to 
say,  upon  its  being  employed  to  produce  a  light  or 


1 50     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

a  dark  dye.  Thus  light  colors  are  directly  and  in- 
directly more  wholesome  than  dark  colors. 

I  am  certain  that  readers  who  have  been  in  the 
habit  of  observing  for  themselves  and  of  reflecting 
on  this  subject  will  be  able  to  supply  confirmation 
of  what  I  have  stated.  For  instance,  black  clothes 
are  less  comfortable  than  light-colored  clothes,  and 
have  a  more  disagreeable  odor. 

The  effect  on  the  nerves  of  various  colored  cloth- 
ing was  strikingly  confirmed  by  numerous  nerve- 
measurements,  which  I  made  on  several  days  in 
succession  between  8  and  9  a.m.  I  wore  the  same 
underclothing  in  each  case. 

In  a  brown  suit  the  average  interval  of  time,  on 
ten  occasions,  required  for  the  finger  to  stop  the 
watch  was  Tf$o"  parts  of  a  second;  in  an  almost 
black  indigo-dyed  suit  the  average  on  eight  occa- 
sions was  TVVV  >  *n  a  logwood-dyed  black  suit  the 
average  on  twenty  occasions  was  TVVo-  Thus  the 
indigo  suit  was  25  per  cent,  and  the  logwood  suit 
80  per  cent,  worse  than  the  brown,  indigo  being, 
however,  55  percent  better  than  logwood.  Further 
observations  which  I  made  as  to  the  effect  of  colors 
on  the  powers  of  physical  endurance  confirmed  the 
foregoing.  I  tested  my  running  powers  in  three 
different  suits  of  clothing,  and  found  that  in  the 
brown  suit,  which  I  tried  ten  times,  the  minimum 
distance  was  800  metres  and  the  maximum  2400 
metres.  On  the  three  occasions  on  which  I  tested 
the  indigo  suit  I  could  proceed  no  further  than  800 
metres,  and  in  the  logwood  suit  I  was  completely 
exhausted  at  500  metres.  These  experiments  were 
not  repeated  sufficiently  often  to  allow  of  precise 
comparison;  but  they  so  completely  harmonized 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     1 5 1 

with  the  results  of  the  nerve-measurements  that 
they  will  assist  my  readers  to  understand  why  I 
attach  so  much  importance  to  the  color  of  the 
clothing. 

• 

THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF  COLORS  OR 
DYES.— II. 

(1882.) 

^PO  the  proper  understanding  of  this  subject,  it  is 
necessary  to  bear  constantly  in  mind  that  each 
person  has  an  individual  constitution,  and  that  con- 
sequently all  people  are  not  affected  alike  by  one 
and  the  same  substance  or  matter. 

This  may  be  illustrated  by  the  well-known  differ- 
ence of  taste  which  prevails  respecting  even  those 
foods  which  would  be  expected  to  please  and  suit 
everybody,  as,  for  instance,  milk.  Many  thoroughly 
healthly  people  cannot  endure  milk;  in  nearly  every 
large  household  will  be  found  at  least  one  person 
who  not  only  dislikes  milk,  but  whom  it  affects 
wiUi  stomach-ache  and  diarrhoea.  Others,  again, 
who  are  fond  of  cow's  milk  have  an  insuperable 
aversion  to  the  milk  of  goats  or  asses. 

This  like  or  dislike  for  certain  foods  is  apt  to 
take  an  extreme  form — that  is  to  say,  one  class  of 
people  will  be  exceedingly  fond  of  them,  while  the 
other  will  be  equally  averse  to  them;  I* refer  to 
mutton,  onions,  garlic,  cheese,  craw-fish,  straw- 
berries, etc.  The  two  latter  delicacies  have  the 
reputation  of  producing,  in  certain  constitutions, 
eruptions  of  the  skin,  inflammation  of  the  throat,  and 
similar  disorders.  I  myself  suffer  from  inflammation 
of  the  throat  if  I  eat  strawberries;  and  this  idiosyn- 


152     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

crasy  began  with  the  setting-in  of  puberty,  and 
therefore  with  a  so-called  change  in  the  constitu- 
tion. 

The  differences  in  constitutions  are  also  the 
stumblmg-block  in  the  medical  treatment  of  sick 
persons:  a  medicine  which  has  done  good  service 
in  ten  cases  may  possibly  in  the  eleventh  not  only 
fail,  but  do  positive  harm,  and  doubtless  many  per- 
sons have  been  thus  unconsciously  poisoned  by  the 
medicines  administered  to  them.  This  considera- 
tion has  brought  treatment  with  medicines,  espe- 
cially in  big,  so-called  allopathic  doses,  into  such 
discredit,  not  only  with  the  public,  but  also  with 
the  medical  profession  itself,  that  the  modern  allo- 
paths are  very  reluctant  to  prescribe  medicines. 
The  ill-effects  of  large  doses  have  given  rise  to  hom- 
oeopathy, or  the  system  of  minute  doses,  whereby 
the  danger  of  causing  injury  through  a  wrong 
remedy  is  greatly  diminished.  But  the  diversities 
of  constitution,  which  again  constantly  vary,  even  in 
one  and  the  same  person,  according  to  the  disposi- 
tion, genius  epidemicus,  etc.,  also  form  the  main  diffi- 
culty in  homoeopathy,  which  fails  to  cure  if  the  rem- 
edy applied  be  "  individually"  wrong. 

Returning  to  the  question  of  colors,  the  diversity 
of  taste  in  the  choice  of  the  colors  of  clothing  is 
sufficient  to  show  that  not  every  color  affects  all 
persons  'alike.  Certainly,  inasmuch  as  science 
ignores  in  what  instinct  and  feeling  really  consist, 
the  eye  alone  is  assumed  to  be  responsible  for  the 
diversity  of  taste  in  the  matter  of  colors.  This  as- 
sumption, however,  is  shown  to  be  incorrect  by  the 
actual  discomfort,  or,  at  least,  diminution  in  comfort 
which  most  people  feel  in  black  clothing;  further, 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     153 

cases  may  be  cited  which  arise  from  time  to  time, 
especially  since  the  introduction  of  aniline  dyes,  of 
severe  poisonous  effects  produced  by  the  dyes  of 
articles  of  clothing. 

That  I  am  able  to  throw  new  light  on  this  subject 
is  partly  due  to  my  discovery  in  the  "  neural-analy- 
sis" *  of  a  method  of  testing  the  noxious  or  salu- 
tary quality  of  any  given  object,  by  accurately 
measuring  the  effect  of  the  inhalation  of  its  odor  in 
retarding  or  accelerating  the  rapidity  of  the  nervous 
action;  but  I  have  also  derived  information  on  the 
subject  from  experiences  which  have  been  gathered 
in  connection  with  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System. 

When  a  white  linen  shirt  is  worn  between  the 
almost  universally  dyed  outerclothing  and  the  body, 
the  action  of  the  dye  on  the  health  cannot  be  so 
powerful  as  when  the  underclothing  is  dyed,  which 
is  very  commonly  the  case  with  woolen  shirts  and 
vests.  Moreover,  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System 
causes  the  skin  to  develop  much  greater  activity, 
and  therefore  to  be  much  warmer  than  in  the  case 
of  a  wearer  of  linen;  and  it  is  the  warmth  of  the 
skin  which  brings  into  action  the  dye  of  the  woolen 
shirt  .1  will  here  mention  two  cases  which  have 
come  under  my  observation  respecting  dyes  hitherto 
considered  harmless — logwood  and  cochineal. 

A  lady  writes  to  me  that  on  October  16  she  put 
on  a  gray  "  combination"  garment  before  going  to 
bed,  and  awoke  after  an  interval  of  one  hour  with 
strong  feverish  symptoms,  and  with  such  pains, 
especially  in  the  region  of  the  stomach,  that  she 
thought  she  must  have  unwittingly  taken  poison. 

*  See  page  7, 
ii 


154     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

This  condition  lasted  -until  the  morning  of  October 
18,  when  it  occurred  to  my  correspondent  that  the 
cause  might  lie  in  the  garment,  which  she  accord- 
ingly changed,  when  the  relief  was  extreme  and  the 
fever  and  the  pains  subsided.  I  found  that  the 
garment,  which  was  forwarded  to  me  for  examina- 
tion, was  dyed  with  logwood;  and  on  applying  the 
"  neural-analysis"  test,  I  found  that  its  effect  on 
the  nervous  action  was  a  retardation  of  34  per 
cent. 

The  first  insight  into  this  subject  which  I  ob- 
tained from  personal  observation  was  when  I  lately 
had  occasion  to  wear  mourning.  Under  my  black 
clothes  I  wore  a  cochineal-dyed  shirt.  About  this 
time  an  Italian  physician  had  remarked  to  me  that 
the  Savoyards  wear  wool  almost  exclusively  (as, 
indeed,  is  the  common  practice  throughout  Italy), 
but  that  they  suffer  much  from  ischias  (pain  in  the 
hips).  Not  long  afterwards,  I  felt  occasional  draw- 
ing and  burning  pains  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
hips  and  loins,  and  I  was  reminded  of  the  foregoing 
remark,  which  I  admit  caused  me  considerable 
alarm.  I  found,  however,  as  I  went  on,  that  at 
night  I  was  free  from  the  pain,  which  made  itself 
most  felt  in  a  sitting  posture,  when  the  trousers 
were  drawn  tighter,  causing  a  sensation  of  numb- 
ness or  loss  of  feeling  over  the  entire  region,  and 
of  uncomfortable  heat.  A  rapid  walk  on  a  warm 
spring  day  solved  the  problem  over  which  I  had 
for  some  time  puzzled  in  vain.  The  exercise  in- 
duced perspiration,  and  this  was  followed  by  a 
sensation  as  though  I  had  a  mustard  plaster  ap- 
plied to  the  region  of  the  hips  and  loins.  It  then 
first  occurred  to  me  that  the  black  trousers  might 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     155  - 

be  the  cause  of  the  annoyance,  which,  indeed,  rap- 
idly subsided  on  my  changing  the  trousers  for  a 
brown  pair.  In  this  case  the  "neural-analysis"  of 
the  cause  of  offense  showed  the  nervous  action  to 
be  retarded  75  per  cent. 

In  another  instance,  a  friend  reported  to  me  that 
a  numbness  or  loss  of  feeling  in  the  skin  of  the 
chest  had  caused  him  serious  alarm,  until  he  found 
that  feeling  was  restored  on  his  ceasing  to  wear 
the  gray  woolen  shirt,  which,  like  my  black  trou- 
sers, had  been  dyed  with  logwood. 

An  interesting  commentary  on  the  effect  of  log- 
wood was  supplied  to  me  by  a  hat  manufacturer, 
to  whom  I  related  the  foregoing  incidents,  and  who 
remarked  that  the  effect  of  logwood  in  depriving 
the  skin  of  the  sense  of  feeling  was  well  known  in 
the  trade.  As  a  practical  illustration  he  pressed 
the  burning  end  of  his  cigar  in  the  hollow  of  his 
hand  until  the  odor  of  scorching  skin  was  percepti- 
ble without  any  sign  of  pain. 

As  regards  the  effect  of  cochineal  on  certain  con- 
stitutions, I  have  heard  of  several  cases  in  which 
the  wearers  of  shirts  thus  dyed  have  suffered  from 
rheumatic  and  other  pains,  which  have  disappeared 
on  the  shirts  ceasing  to  be  worn.  Cochineal  dye 
may  be  compared,  from  a  sanitary  point  of  view, 
with  craw-fish  or  strawberries  ;  to  some  constitu- 
tions it  is  agreeable,  while  on  others  its  effect  is 
poisonous.  The  proverb  says,  "  What  is  one  man's 
meat  is  another  man's  poison/' 


156     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 


THE  SANITARY  EFFECTS  OF   COLORS 
OR  DYES.— III. 

(1883.) 

A  MONG  the  researches  into  the  effects  of  color- 
ing  matters  on  the  health,  a  leading  place  must 
be  accorded  to  those  instituted  by  the  homoeopathic 
body,  whose  inquiries,  however,  have  not  been 
directed  to  the  action  set  up  by  the  dyes  in  cloth- 
ing, but  by  colors  taken  internally  in  the  form  of 
medicines.  For  the  instruction  of  those  of  my 
readers  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  homoeo- 
pathic doctrine,  I  append  the  following  information. 

Every  substance,  when  swallowed  in  sufficient 
quantity,  engenders  phenomena  of  illness,  or,  in 
fact,  of  poisoning,  which  are  peculiar  to  each  special 
substance,  and  consist  of  a  certain  combination  of 
symptoms. 

Homoeopathy  teaches  that,  if  a  disease  be  indi- 
cated by  a  complication  of  symptoms  similar  to 
those  which  are  induced  by  swallowing  a  large 
dose  of  a  medicinal  substance,  a  homoeopathic  dilu- 
tion of  the  latter  is  the  proper  remedy.  It  is  neces- 
sary to  the  comprehension  of  this  question,  that 
regard  should  be  paid  to  what  I  have  previously 
written  on  the  subject,  especially  where  I  have 
pointed  out  (on  page  127)  that  the  action  on 
the  body  of  any  substance  which  is  swallowed  or 
inhaled  is  of  two  entirely  opposite  natures  :  in  a 
large,  or  poisonous  quantity,  it  disables,  and  causes 
illness  ;  conversely,  in  small,  so-called  homoeopathic 


The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes.     157* 

doses,  it  animates,  arouses,  and  exerts  a  healing 
influence. 

In  treating  of  the  action  of  dyes  in  the  clothing, 
the  foregoing  consideration  is  of  the  highest  im- 
portance ;  if  the  dye  is  fixed  so  fast  in  the  clothing 
that  even  when  the  body  is  heated,  only  minute — 
i.e.,  homoeopathic — quantities  mingle  with  the  at- 
mosphere of  the  clothes,  and  thence  with  the  at- 
mosphere which  is  breathed,  their  effect  is,  as  a 
rule,  that  of  the  homoeopathic  dose,  and  is  then 
favorable,  provided  that  there  be  no  special  indi- 
vidual antipathy  (or  so-called  idiosyncrasy)  to  the 
substance  in  question.  If,  however,  the  dye  adheres 
loosely,  or  is  "  spurious" — />.,  readily  fades  ;  or 
if,  when  the  dye  is  genuine  and  "  fast,"  there  is,  in 
consequence  of  insufficient  rinsing  after  the  dyeing 
process,  a  surplus  of  loose  coloring  matter  (percep- 
tible by  its  rubbing  off),  the  poisonous,  deleterious 
effect  will  be  apparent. 

A  further  consideration  is,  that  the  evaporation 
of  dye  from  the  clothes  is  largely  dependent  on  the 
temperature  and  humidity  of  the  atmosphere,  being 
less  under  conditions  of  cold  and  dryness,  and 
greater  under  those  of  warmth  and  moisture.  Thus 
the  effect  of  a  dyed  garment  in  winter,  or  in  dry 
weather,  or  when  the  body  is  in  repose  and  the  skin 
is  cool,  may  be  neutral,  or  even  agreeable  ;  while 
in  summer,  in  hot  rooms,  or  when  the  body  is 
heated,  deleterious  effects  (discomfort,  languor,  lo- 
cal pains,  etc.)  may  be  felt,  especially  when  to  these 
conditions  are  added  a  damp  atmosphere  and  per- 
spiration. 

The  principles  of  my  system  of  coloring  matters 
are  the  necessary  deductions  from  the  foregoing 


1 58     The  Sanitary  Effects  of  Colors  or  Dyes. 

considerations,  and  I  will  here  shortly  recapitulate 
them  : 

1.  For   summer   clothing,  working,    and    every- 
day   costume,  especially   for   any   kind  of  athletic 
sport,  as  also  in  hot  climates,  the  material  should  be 
entirely  free  from  dye — i.e.,  natural  white  or  natural 
brown. 

2.  Dyed  materials  are  least  injurious  in  winter, 
in  cold  climates,  when  the  body  is  in  repose,  and 
for  Sunday,  visiting,  and  holiday  attire  (but  not  for 
dancing  exercise,    which   is   a    species   of   athletic 
sport). 

3.  All  dyes  which  readily  fade  are  wholly  to  be 
condemned.      The  assertion  that  aniline  dyes  are 
only  injurious  when  they  contain  arsenic  is  quite 
false  ;    they  are    chiefly  noxious    because   of   their 
volatility. 

4.  "Fast" — i.e.,    non-volatile — dyes    are    admis- 
sible, but  only  when  no  residue  or  surplus  of  loose, 
unrinsed  dye  is  left  in  the  garment ;  this  is  easily 
tested,  as  in  such  case  the  color  comes  off.     As  the 
process  of  rinsing  can  only  be  complete  when  the 
wool    is  dyed  before  being  worked  up,  all   fabrics 
which  have  been  dyed  in  the  piece,  or  printed  with 
dyes,  should  be  rejected. 

5.  The  less  coloring  matter  that  a  garment  con- 
tains— i.e.,  the  lighter  it  is  dyed — the  smaller  will  be 
the  danger  arising  from  the  coloring  matter. 

In  carrying  out  a  system  of  sanitarily  colored 
clothing,  it  would  be  impracticable  to  discard  all 
artificial  dyes,  and  I  have  therefore  adopted  certain 
dyes,  especially  indigo  and  cochineal.  Indigo,  cochi- 
neal, and  logwood  are  each  capable  of  engendering 
the  phenomena  of  poisoning  ;  but  in  practice  there 


Girded  Loins.  1 59 

is  this  difference,  that  indigo  and  cochineal,  as 
"fast"  dyes,  never  evaporate  from  the  clothing  in 
such  quantity  as  (idiosyncrasy  excepted)  to  produce 
injurious  effects.  The  converse,  however,  holds 
good  of  the  "spurious,"  logwood  dye,  which,  more- 
over, has  the  faculty  of  attracting  the  "  noxious" 
exhalations  of  the  body. 

GIRDED  LOINS. 

(1882.) 

A  CORRESPONDENT  who  has  adopted  the  San- 
itary Woolen  System  writes  :  "  I  cannot  be- 
come reconciled  to  wearing  a  belt,  notwithstanding 
that  this  was  generally  practiced  in  the  Middle 
Ages,  and  is  still  customary  with  the  military,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  southern  countries  (al- 
though nothing  similar  obtains  among  any  of  the 
four-footed  creation).  To  wear  a  belt  seems  con- 
trary to  nature,  as  it  checks  the  processes  of  breath- 
ing and  digesting,  especially  of  the  former,  in  the 
case  of  the  male  sex,  whose  respiration  brings  the 
abdominal  region  more  into  play,  while  the  female  * 
sex  breathe  chiefly  in  the  region  of  the  chest.  The 
man's  breathing-muscles  are  attached  to  the  cer- 
vical vertebra,  the  collar-bone  and  shoulders,  and 
the  ribs,  which  latter  they  extend  and  widen.  So 
that,  if  a  belt  be  worn,  only  the  upper  part  of  the 
chest  is  capable  of  the  proper  undulatory  motion 
incidental  to  respiration." 

In  reply  to  this  I  have  to  say  that  my  experience 
in  wearing  a  belt  has  been  acquired  at  different 
periods  of  my  life.  As  seminarist  and  student— a 
period  during  which  my  health  was  good — I  regu- 


1 60  Girded  Loins. 

larly  wore  an  ordinary  gymnastic  belt,  and  found 
that  it  suited  me  very  well,  with  the  exception  that 
if  I  took  off  the  belt  when  I  was  perspiring  I  easily 
caught  cold  in  the  part  which  the  belt  had  covered. 
This  induced  pains  in  the  direction  of  the  navel, 
such  as  are  caused  by  cramp  or  colic,  without, 
however,  affecting  the  bowels,  and  would  be  very 
troublesome  for  two  or  three  days.  I  consider 
this  to  have  been  an  affection  of  the  peritoneum, 
caused  by  enervation  of  the  skin  of  the  abdomen, 
for,  of  course,  at  that  time  I  was  not  clothed  in 
wool. 

In  the  second  period  of  my  life — from  27  to  46 
years — during  which  I  suffered  from  indigestion 
as  I  have  elsewhere  described,  I  wore  no  belt,  and 
could  not  bear  to  have  anything  tight  round  the 
loins,  because  the  circumference  of  the  abdomen 
continually  varied  ;  and,  after  meals,  when  my  dys- 
peptic troubles  commenced,  I  was  obliged  to 
loosen  the  trousers,  although  these  were  made  to 
fit  very  easily.  The  pain  in  the  direction  of  the 
navel,  described  above,  frequently  made  itself  felt, 
especially  in  summer. 

About  the  time  that  I  inaugurated  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System,  I  was  reading  the  well-known 
gourmand  BRILLAT-SAVARIN,  who  writes  amusingly 
and  even  instructively,  but  whose  book  has  as  lit- 
tle claim  to  the  title  of  The  Physiology  of  the  Sense 
of  Taste  as  a  cook  would  have  to  that  of  "  physiol- 
ogist." I  was  much  struck,  however,  by  the  re- 
mark, that  in  cases  of  tendency  to  corpulence  the 
wearing  of  a  belt  was  much  to  be  recommended, 
not  only  in  the  daytime  but  also  at  night.  I  was 
aware  that  corpulence  was  injurious,  and  that  the 


Girded  Loins.  161 

body,  when  constrained,  possessed  great  capac- 
ity of  self-help.  Simultaneously,  therefore,  with 
adopting  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  I  began  to 
wear  an  ordinary  leather  belt,  about  two  inches 
wide,  but  only  during  the  day.  I  found  that  I 
bore  it  very  well,  and  as  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem caused  my  dyspepsia,  and  the  puffed-out  con- 
dition incidental  thereto  after  meals,  to  disappear, 
I  ctfuld  maintain  the  belt  equally  tight  throughout 
the  day  without  inconvenience.  Certain  other 
evils,  however,  were  brought  to  notice. 
%  I  felt  that  a  LEATHER  BELT  was  wrong,  especially 
when  I  perspired,  and  there  gradually  arose  a  dis- 
agreeable sensation  in  the  skin  wherever  pressed 
by  the  belt.  The  test  of  nerve-measurement  (see 
page  7)  by  inhalation  of  the  odor  of  the  belt  after 
it  had  been  some  time  in  use  explained  this  sensa- 
tion, as  the  result  was  a  diminution  of  38  per  cent 
in  the  rapidity  of  the  nervous  action.  I  conse- 
quently tried  a  woolen  belt  of  similar  width,  but  it 
afforded  too  little  resistance,  and  was  soon  useless, 
rolling  up,  and  cutting  like  a  rope.  My  hope  that 
the  body  would  accommodate  itself  to  the  pressure 
of  the  belt  was  not  fulfilled  as  I  desired  ;  the  cir- 
cumference under  the  belt  continually  lessened,  so 
that  I  had  to  keep  tightening  the  strain  to  prevent 
the  trousers  from  slipping  ;  but  above  the  belt,  and 
to  some  extent  below  it,  the  protuberance  was  pro- 
portionately increased.  It  was  thus  clear  that  this 
form  of  woolen  belt  did  little  or  nothing  to  hinder 
corpulence.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  inconven- 
ience described,  I  considered  that  the  belt  had  dis- 
tinct advantages,  as  somehow  I  felt  comfortable 
with  it,  and  during  this  period,  which  lasted  till 


1 62  Girded  Loins. 


vas  free 


within  a  year  of  the  time  of  writing,  I  was 
from   the  pain  over  the  navel  previously  referred 
to. 

My  experiments  entered  on  a  new  phase  in  the 
last  excessively  hot  summer.  I  must  premise  that 
I  formerly  suffered  considerably  from  difficulty  of 
breathing,  and  from  great  corpulence  (42^  inches 
round  the  body).  The  relief  afforded  by  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  has  exceeded  all  my 
hopes  and  expectation,  but  still  I  am  not  entirely 
satisfied.  The  normal  measurement  round  the 
body  should  be  75  per  cent  of  that  round  the 
chest.  The  latter  in  my  case  is  39!  inches,  and  the 
measurement  round  the  body  should  therefore  be 
29^  inches,  whereas  it  fluctuates  between  31^ 
inches  and  34  inches,  according  to  my  condition 
and  the  season  of  the  year.  It  is  thus  still  about 
4  inches  too  large,  and  I  know  that  in  proportion 
as  it  is  smaller  or  larger,  I  am  more  or  less  well. 

The  difficulty  of  breathing  had  also  greatly  im- 
proved, but  I  was  unable  to  account  for  the  cir- 
cumstance that  when  I  walked  somewhat  quickly 
up  hill,  I  felt — especially  in  hot  weather — a  pain  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  breast-bone,  shooting  right 
and  left.  I  was  often  puzzled  as  to  the  origin  of 
this  pain,  and  had  long  accepted  a  mistaken  theory 
that  it  arose  from  some  old-standing  distortion  of 
the  lungs  and  chest  which  would  accompany  me 
through  life,  when  light  was  at  last  thrown  upon 
it  in  the  following  manner  : 

I  was  panting  up  the  southern  slope  of  a  valley 
at  the  hottest  period  (between  4  and  5  p.m.)  of  one 
of  the  hottest  days  of  last  summer,  the  path  being 
entirely  without  shade,  and  the  sun  burning  piti- 


Girded  Loins.  1 63 

lessly  down  upon  me,  when  I  suddenly  perceived 
that  the  pain  arose  exactly  at  the  junction  of  the 
diaphragm  with  the  anterior  verge  of  the  chest, 
and  was  the  natural  consequence  of  the  vehement 
action  of  the  diaphragm.  On  further  observations 
of  my  movements  in  breathing  I  remarked  that  I 
breathed  exclusively  in  the  region  of  the  dia- 
phragm and  lower  ribs,  and  that  the  upper  ribs 
remained  almost  entirely  inactive.  I  now  re- 
membered the  well-known  fact  that  difficulty  in 
breathing  (asthma — in  horses,  broken-windedness) 
is  caused  by  a  wasting  of  the  lungs,  which  always 
commences  in  the  tissues  of  the  upper  portions  ; 
and  I  had  long  felt  that  this  affection  was  due  to 
insufficient  use  of  the  lungs.  When  I  further  con- 
sidered that  men  are  much  more  subject  than 
women  to  asthma,  I  had  a  clear  perception  of  the 
whole  case,  as  follows  : 

Two  conditions  of  breathing  must  be  distin- 
guished :  (i)  Quiet^breathing,  when  lying  down, 
sitting,  or  walking  slowly,  is  differently  performed 
by  men  and  by  women  ;  at  least,  this  is  the  case  in 
our  state  of  civilization,  although  I  doubt  whether 
it  is  so  everywhere.  Men  breathe  only  in  the  re- 
gion of  the  diaphragm,  whereby  merely  the  lower 
portions  of  the  lungs  alternately  fill  and  empty, 
while  the  upper  portions  are  inactive.  Women,  on 
the  other  hand — chiefly  because  the  diaphragm  is 
hampered  by  the  corset  or  by  the  clothing  being 
tied  round  the  hips — breathe  in  the  direction  of 
the  upper  ribs,  and,  therefore,  with  the  tips  of  the 
lungs  ;  this  is  the  reason  why  women  are  relatively 
attacked  less  frequently  than  men  by  asthma.  (2) 
When  the  breathing  is  accelerated  by  strenuous 


1 64  Girded  Loins. 

motion  of  the  body,  the  difference  in  this  respect 
between  ordinary  men  and  women  disappears,  and 
the  whole  of  the  lungs  is  called  into  play. 

It  is  thus  clear,  that  when  a  man  leads  a  seden- 
tary life,  and  is  seldom  or  never  compelled  by 
strenuous  bodily  movement  to  breathe  with  force, 
two  things  will  happen  :  The  inactive  tips  of  the 
lungs  will  waste  away,  entailing  subsequent  diffi- 
culty of  breathing,  and  he  will  become  so  accus- 
tomed to  breathing  solely  in  the  region  of  the  dia- 
phragm as  to  lose  all  facility  of  breathing  in  the 
region  of  the  upper  ribs.  If  an  occasion  then 
arise  for  more  abundant  respiration,  the  body  will 
fall  from  habit  into  the  error  of  endeavoring  to 
supply  this  by  increased  activity  of  the  diaphragm, 
instead  of  obtaining  assistance  from  the  direction 
of  the  upper  ribs.  The  twofold  consequences  are  : 
(i)  The  result  is  inadequate,  because  only  the 
lower  lobes,  instead  of  the  entire  lungs,  are 
worked  ;  (2)  the  vehement  movement  of  the  dia- 
phragm produces  the  pain  which  I  have  described. 

In  considering  how  this  might  be  remedied,  the 
circumstance  that  the  climbing  of  ascents  induces 
enhanced  activity  of  breathing  led  me  to  think  of 
people  who  inhabit  mountainous  districts,  and  be- 
fore my  mind's  eye  stood  the  German  Tyrolese 
(whom  I  have  long  respected  for  their  simple  and 
healthy  manner  of  living),  with  their  belt  of  nearly 
two  hands'  width  in  front.  I  reasoned  that  the 
wearing  of  so  broad  a  belt  limits  the  possibility  of 
breathing  in  the  region  of  the  diaphragm,  and  this, 
whenever  the  need  for  breath  increases,  compels 
recourse  to  the  region  of  the  upper  ribs,  thus  pre- 
venting (i)  the  wasting  away  of  the  tips  of  the 


Girded  Lains.  1 65 

lungs  through  disuse  ;  (2)  the  habituation  of  the 
body  to  dispense  with  breathing  in  the  region  of 
the  upper  ribs  ;  (3)  excessive  and  painful  breath- 
ing in  the  region  of  the  diaphragm. 

I  at  once  caused  a  belt,  exactly  as  broad  as  that 
of  the  Tyrolese,  to  be  made  of  strong  woolen  ma- 
terial ;  and  the  result  surpassed  my  expectations. 
The  effort  of  breathing  when  climbing  ascents 
was  greatly  lightened,  and  I  was  at  once  entirely 
freed  from  the  pain  in  the  diaphragm. 

What,  of  course,  could  not  at  once  be  remedied 
was  the  wasting-away  which  had,  undoubtedly,  af- 
fected the  tips  of  my  lungs.  How  far  this,  in  the 
case  of  a  man  in  his  fifty-first  year,  can  be  over- 
come I  am  unable  to  judge  ;  and  I  do  not  suppose 
that,  especially  with  my  sedentary  mode  of  life,  I 
shall  ever  become  an  active  mountaineer.  But  the 
fact  remains  that  I  have  occasion  weekly  to  ascend 
a  hill  ij  miles  long  and  705  feet  high.  I  do  this 
without  effort  in  twenty-five  minutes,  and,  if  I  ex- 
ert myself,  in  twenty  minutes.  When  I  also  con- 
sider that  I  can  trot  i-J  miles  on  a  slight  descent, 
I  feel  that,  as  an  asthmatic  subject  of  many  years' 
standing,  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied  ;  and  I  as- 
cribe these  results  in  the  first  order  to  the  Sani- 
tary Woolen  System,  and  in  the  second  to  the  Tyr- 
olese belt. 

The  belt  must  be  6  inches  broad  in  front,  nar- 
rowing on  either  side  towards  the  hips.  The  chief 
difficulty  of  constructing  such  a  belt  of  woolen  ma- 
terial was  the  tendency  of  the  broad  band  to  fold 
together,  and  thus  to  fail  of  its  purpose.  This  has 
been  overcome  by  inserting  pieces  of  whalebone 
or  steel,  and  I  can  now  strongly  recommend  the 


1 66  The  Corset. 

wearing  of  this  broad  belt,  especially  by  those  who 
suffer  from  corpulence  and  difficulty  of  breathing. 

THE   CORSET. 

(1882.) 

TN  connection  with  the  preceding  essay  on  the 
value  of  girding  the  loins,.  I  will  make  a  few  re- 
marks on  the  subject  of  ladies'  corsets.  If  the 
views  of  the  leading  authorities  on  health-culture 
be  correct,  there  is  nothing  more  prejudicial  to  the 
health  than  the  corset.  Indeed,  their  attack  on 
the  corset  comprises  pretty  near  all  that  they  have 
to  say  respecting  ladies'  clothing,  and  it  is  usually 
enforced  by  dreadful  representations  and  models 
of  the  distortion  of  the  liver  which  is  caused  by 
tight  lacing.  This  may  be  true,  but  it  is  not  the 
whole  truth. 

The  fault  does  not  consist  in  the  wearing  of  a 
corset,  but  in  the  material  of  which  it  is  made. 
This  is  usually  substantial  (possibly  even  pasted) 
linen  cloth,  and  (i)  concentrates,  in  an  intensified 
degree,  the  disadvantages  of  clothing  made  from 
vegetable  fiber;  (2)  it  is,  as  a  rule,  laced  too  tightly, 
because  the  great  enervation  of  the  body  which  en- 
sues induces  a  feeling  of  want  of  support  and  a 
tendency  to  unshapely  increase  of  bulk,  only  to  be 
restrained  by  the  use  of  force,  under  which  the  in- 
ternal organs  suffer. 

Ladies,  however,  who  have  adopted,  and  espe- 
cially those  who  have  grown  up  under,  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System,  and  who  wear  the  Sanatory  Woolen 
corset,  need  to  use  no  force  in  order  to  preserve  the 
shape  ;  their  compact  firm  figures  will  not  require 


The  Sanatory  Boot.  167 

support,  They  do  not,  therefore,  lace  too  tightly, 
and  in  the  Sanatory  Woolen  corset  they  have  all 
the  advantages  of  girded  loins  without  the  disad- 
vantages. 

It  is  with  the  corset  as  with  the  shoe.  Hygienic 
science  has  hitherto  treated  the  evil  as  one  of  me- 
chanical conditions  and  of  space,  while  it  is  really 
due  to  the  use  of  unsanatory  material. 


A 


THE  SANATORY  BOOT. 

(1882.) 

SANITARY  construction  of  boot  requires  that, 
as  far  as  possible,  all  impediment  to  evapo- 
ration should  be  removed,  and  that  perspiration 
should  be  prevented  from  accumulating.  The  un- 
pleasant odor  which  stockings  or  socks  acquire  in 
the  ordinary  boots  should  thus  be  avoided,  and  the 
foot  should  remain  comfortable,  warm,  and  dry. 
To  design  a  boot  capable  of  satisfying  these  re- 
quirements presented  a  problem  full  of  difficulties, 
which,  however,  were  mainly  overcome  by  acting 
on  the  principles  propounded  in  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System,  in  the  substitution,  as  far  as  is 
practicable,  of  woolen  material  for  leather,  which 
is  nearly  impervious  to  evaporation.  The  differ- 
ence between  the  Sanatory  Woolen  and  the  ordi- 
nary leather  boot  is  equal  to  that  between  the  San- 
atory and  ordinary  coats,  as  will  be  found  on 
recurring  to  the  use  of  the  latter  kind  of  boot  after 
wearing  the  other  for  some  time. 

The  best  form  of  boot  on  sanitary  grounds  is 
one  made,  with  the  exception  of  the  sole,  entirely 
of  woolen  cloth,  without  any  addition  of  leather. 


1 68  The  Sanatory  Boot. 

Another  form,  more  calculated  for  muddy  and  very 
rough  walking,  has  a  narrow  leather  border  all 
round,  and  a  narrow  piece  of  leather  over  the  toes. 
This  last  should  not  reach  back  beyond  the  front 
part  of  the  toes.  The  perspiration  is  most  abun- 
dant between  the  toes,  and  at  the  angles  of  junction 
it  is  most  injurious.  The  hinder  extremities  of  the 
division  between  the  toes,  therefore,  especially  need 
ventilation. 

The  penetration  of  water  from  without  can  do  no 
harm  when  the  feet  are  thus  clad.  On  a  fort- 
night's pedestrian  tour  our  party  of  eight  persons 
had  thoroughly  wet  Sanatory  Woolen  boots  for 
hours  at  a  time,  and  we  felt  no  inconvenience  nor 
discomfort,  nor  was  there  the  least  injury  to  the 
health  of  any  one  in  consequence.  In  fact,  if,  after 
a  long  walk,  the  feet  are  swollen  and  fatigued,  by 
stepping  into  water,  the  sense  of  discomfort  is 
quickly  dispelled,  and  the  vigor  of  the  feet  is  re- 
newed. The  socks  and  interior  woolen  soles,  which 
prolonged  walking  renders  hard  and  stiff,  become 
elastic  again  with  the  water,  and  feel  like  velvet  to 
the  tread. 

The  capacity  of  endurance  of  the  feet  is  much 
enhanced  by  encasing  them  in  woolen  instead  of  in 
the  ordinary  leather  material.  Of  the  eight  mem- 
bers of  the  pedestrian  party  already  referred  to,  not 
one  became  in  the  least  footsore,  although  we  fre- 
quently walked  upwards  of  twenty  miles  a  day 
during  the  fortnight.  In  another  case,  an  ac- 
quaintance walked  for  fifteen  hours  in  Sanatory 
Woolen  boots  without  blistering  the  feet. 

As  the  boots  should  fit  quite  closely  at  the  ankle, 
and  "  side  springs"  are  objectionable,  by  causing 


The  Sanatory  Boot.  169 

perspiration  and  impeding  evaporation,  the  "  lace- 
up"  form  is  chosen,  reaching  to  the  calf  of  the  leg. 
With  a  little  practice  lacing-up  soon  becomes  easy 
to  those  who  are  not  already  accustomed  to  it, 
and  it  is  the  only  correct  principle  for  making  the 
boot  fit  closely. 

Another  material  for  boots  which  possesses  great 
sanitary  advantages  is  leather  made  from  undyed 
buckskin.  I  have  tried  this  now  for  some  time, 
both  in  dry  and  wet  weather,  and  can  state  that  in 
point  of  durability  it  considerably  surpasses  ordi- 
nary shoe  leather.  Buckskin  leather  is  by  no  means 
impervious  to  water,  but  the  feet  remain,  even  when 
the  boots  are  wet,  not  only  as  warm  as  in  wet 
woolen  boots,  but  distinctly  warmer,  probably  be- 
cause the  cloth  of  the  latter  has  hitherto  been 
dyed.  This  is  so  much  the  case  that  it  is  positively 
pleasant  to  put  on  the  buckskin  leather  boots  when 
they  have  been  freshly  washed  and  are  still  wet.  I 
can  therefore  recommend  buckskin  leather  for  the 
feet  nearly  as  strongly  as  woolen  material,  espe- 
cially for  ladies'  ball-toilet.  The  ladies  of  my  fam- 
ily are  greatly  pleased  with  their  buckskin  leather 
dancing-shoes,  and,  indeed,  a  few  decades  since, 
such  shoes  were  the  fashion. 

Another  important  point  is,  that  the  impregnation 
of  tanned  leather  with  a  proper  composition  of 
mineral  grease  prevents  it  from  being  tainted  by 
the  perspiration  of  the  feet,  and  renders  it  soft, 
pliable,  and  perfectly  water-tight.  This  last  is  a 
doubtful  advantage  ;  but  I  have  arrived  at  the  con- 
clusion, after  for  some  time  wearing  high  boots 
made  of  leather  thus  impregnated,  but  lined  with 
undyed  woolen  material,  that  tfce  objection  is  less 

13 


170  The  Sanatory  Boot. 

weighty  than  I  had  previously  supposed.  At  all 
events,  if  water-boots  be  required,  those  impreg- 
nated with  mineral  grease,  which  will  not  become 
rancid,  are  far  preferable  to  such  as  are  treated 
with  animal  grease  which  does  become  rancid. 

An  important  question  in  connection  with  this 
subject  is  the  material  that  should  be  used  for 
blacking  the  leather.  By  mixing  indigo  with  min- 
eral grease  a  blacking  is  obtained  which  gives  the 
leather  an  excellent  appearance  without  injuring 
its  sanitary  qualities.  The  dust,  however,  is  more 
apt  to  cling  to  the  leather  than  when  ordinary 
polish  is  used  ;  but  this  objection  is  minimized  by 
the  consideration  that  in  dusty  weather  Sanatory 
Woolen  boots  without  a  bordering  of  leather 
should  be  used.  The  leather  border  is  only  for  dirty 
weather.  Moreover,  if  the  boot,  about  ten  minutes 
after  the  blacking  has  been  rubbed  into  the  leather, 
be  brushed  up,  the  tendency  of  the  dust  to  cling  is 
lessened,  and  the  general  effect  is  excellent. 

As  regards  the  sole  of  the  Sanatory  boot,  the 
inner  surface  must  be  of  leather,  to  give  the  requi- 
site consistency.  This,  therefore,  together  with  the 
leather  stiffening  at  the  back  of  the  boot,  which 
preserves  its  shape,  is  impregnated  with  mineral 
grease,  to  prevent  taint  from  perspiration.  Fur- 
ther, holes  can  be  drilled  through  both  these  por- 
tions of  the  boot,  and  between  the  leather  surface 
at  the  bottom  of  the  boot  and  the  outside  sole  a 
layer  of  felt  inserted,  into  which  the  perspiration 
from  the  sole  of  the  foot  passes  through  the  drilled 
holes.  An  outlet  from  the  layer  of  felt  to  the  open 
air  is  provided  in  the  heel  of  the  boot.  The  loose 
woolen  sole,  which  can  be  changed  and  washed 


Cleansing  of  the  Outer  Clothing  and  Bedding.    171 

when  there  is  much  perspiration  from  the  feet, 
presses  into  the  apertures  drilled  through  the 
leather  surface  at  the  bottom  of  the  boot,  and  thus 
obtains  a  better  hold. 

THE  CLEANSING  OF  THE  OUTER  CLOTH- 
ING AND  BEDDING. 

(1882.) 

IT  is  not  claimed  that  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem reform  has  reached,  or  will  reach,  a  stage 
of  absolute  perfection  ;  the  object  kept  steadily  in 
view  is  to  replace  what  is  bad  by  "good,"  what  is 
good  by  "better,"  and  what  is  better  by  "better 
still."  This  is  apparent  when  the  subject  of  the 
above  heading  comes  to  be  considered.  The  en- 
deavor to  provide  clothing  and  bedding  which  will 
not  retain  the  "  noxious"  portion  of  the  body's  ex- 
halations cannot  entirely  succeed,  however  nearly  it 
may  do  so. 

The  linen  or  cotton  shirt  becomes  unwholesome 
in  two  or  three  days,  or,  after  copious  perspiration, 
in  as  many  hours,  and  the  feeling  of  discomfort  and 
aversion  which  it  sets  up  in  the  skin  tells  the 
wearer  that  the  shirt  must  be  washed.  It  must  not 
be  supposed,  however,  that,  apart  from  other  con- 
siderations, the  Sanatory  Woolen  shirt  could  be 
worn  unwashed  ad  infinitum  without  a  similar  sense 
of  discomfort  setting  in  ;  this  must  come  at  last, 
although  the  period  which  would  elapse  before  it 
would  be  felt  is  considerabJy  longer  than  with  a 
linen  or  cotton  shirt. 

As  regards  the  outer  clothing,  whoever,  like  my- 
self, has  worn  such  of  linen  or  cotton,  knows  that 


1 72    Cleansing  of  the  Outer  Clothing  and  Bedding. 

after  a  few  days  it  requires  washing.  Ordinary 
woolen  outer  clothing  is  made  externally  of  wool, 
and  internally  is  lined  with  vegetable  fiber.  The 
outer  woolen  surface  is  much  less  liable  than  vege- 
table fiber  to  attract  dirt  ;  and  as  most  people  are 
chiefly  concerned  for  their  exterior,  they  seldom  or 
never  cause  the  outer  clothing  to  be  cleansed,  not 
considering  that  a  regular  Augean  stable  of  offen- 
sive odors,  dangerous  to  the  health,  collects  in  the 
linen  and  cotton  linings. 

This  condition  of  things  has  been  improved  by 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  which  discards  the 
offensive  vegetable  fiber,  But,  even  so,  perfection 
has  not  been  attained,  and  there  comes  a  time  when 
the  degree  of  concentration  of  the  accumulated 
odor  of  the  body's  exhalations  in  the  Sanatory 
Woolen  outer  clothing  necessitates  that  this  should 
undergo  a  cleansing  process.  I  refer  the  reader  to 
my  remarks  on  the  concentration  of  odor  in  the 
essay  on  "  The  Nature  of  Disease"  (page  131).  The 
only  difference  between  outer  and  under  clothing 
in  this  respect  is  that  the  latter  requires  cleansing 
sooner  than  the  former. 

The  relation  which  this  question  bears  to  that  of 
the  effect  of  colors  on  health,  which  I  discuss  else- 
where, is  simple.  The  color  of  the  outer  clothing 
is  not  the  sole,  but  an  essential,  factor  as  to  how 
soon  the  necessity  for  the  cleansing  process  will 
arrive ;  and  my  investigations  leave  no  room  for 
doubt  that,  from  a  hygienic  point  of  view,  the 
necessity  is  greatest  with  black  color  or  dye,  and 
least  with  wool  which  is  completely  free  from  dye. 
As  natural  wool  is  white  and  brown,  and  white 
wool  appears  sooner  to  require  cleansing,  the  high- 


The  Treatment  of  Infants.  173 

est  rank  must  be  awarded  to  natural  brown 
wool. 

The  practical  question  for  present  consideration 
is,  when  and  how  should  the  outer  clothing  and 
bedding  be  cleansed? 

As  to  when  :  I  answer,  so  soon  as  there  is  reason 
not  to  feel  completely  satisfied  respecting  the  health 
and  general  condition,  whether  the  complaint  be 
termed  headache,  toothache,  heartburn,  rheuma- 
tism, catarrh,  sleeplessness,  disinclination  to  work, 
etc.  As  to  how  :  if  the  clothing  or  bedding  be  dirty, 
it  should  be  washed.  If,  however,  it  be  free  from 
apparent  dirt,  deodorization  with  ozogen  (or  effec- 
tually and  more  cheaply  with  camphor)  will  suffice. 
The  process  is  the  simplest  conceivable.  The  bed- 
ding can  be  placed  in  the  morning  in  a  chest  in 
which  camphor  has  been  deposited,  or  ozogen  has 
been  sprinkled.  Two  hours  before  bedtime  the 
bedding  should  be  taken  out,  to  allow  the  smell  of 
camphor  or  ozogen  to  evaporate,  and  the  process  is 
finished.  The  clothing  may  be  placed  in  a  recep- 
tacle over  night  with  camphor,  and  in  the  morning 
it  will  have  been  cleansed. 

THE  TREATMENT  OF  INFANTS. 

(1882.) 

''PHE  subject  of  bathing  in  connection  with  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System,  which  is  treated  of 
in  the  essay  headed  "Cold  Baths"  (see  page  122), 
has  been  raised  in  another  form  by  a  lady  who  ad- 
dresses me  from  Helsingfors  (Finland),  ^with  ref- 
erence to  her  eight-months-old  child,  whom  she  has 
brought  up  under  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System 


1/4  The  Treatment  of  Infants. 

since  its  third  month.  I  will  enumerate  my  cor- 
respondent's inquiries,  and  append  my  replies  in  a 
similar  sequence. 

1.  May  the  child,  when  in  health,  be  bathed  more 
than  once  a  week  ? 

2.  Must  the  child  be  wrapped  after  the  bath  in 
damp  warm  woolen  clothes  ?     How  long  should  it 
be  kept  in   them,  and  what  is  the  effect  ?     Should 
the  child  be  first  well  dried  before  the  clothes  are  ap- 
plied? 

3.  The  child's  sleep  appears  frequently  to  be  dis- 
turbed by  dreams,  so  that  it  groans  (as  after  a  fit 
of  crying),  or  laughs  aloud.     Is  there  any  remedy 
for  this  ? 

4.  I  am  told  that  the  child  will  be  enervated  by 
the  woolen  clothing,  and  not  sufficiently  hardened 
against  catching  cold.     There  have  certainly,  from 
time  to  time,  been   attacks   of  cough  and  cold,  but 
these  have  always  been    light,  and    have   quickly 
passed  away. 

ANSWERS. 

1.  In  health-culture  there  should  be  no  rule  of 
thumb.     Everything  should  be  decided  by  the  con- 
sideration of  what  is  necessary.     A  child  should  be 
bathed  when  it  really  requires  a  general  cleansing, 
and  in  summer  when  it  suffers  from  the  heat 

2.  With  infants,  as  with  adults,  it  usually  suffices 
to  place  the  dry  woolen  cloths,  or  clothing,  over 
the  dripping  wet  body.     Only  when  the  air  is  hot 
and  dry  should  the  woolen  cloths,  or  undercloth- 
ing, be  directly  wetted.     It  is  simply  a  question  of 
reproducing  as  nearly  as   possible   the  conditions 
under    which     the    mammiferous    animals    bathe. 


The  Treatment  of  Infants.  175 

Their  coats  take  up  little  water  because  they  are 
not  felled,  as  are,  unfortunately,  the  materials  of 
our  clothing  ;  and  their  hair  is  freely  lubricated 
with  fatty  matter.  A  dog,  on  leaving  the  water, 
shakes  itself,  and  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour  to 
an  hour  is  dry.  Dogs  can  therefore  bathe  at  any 
season,  but  in  the  cold  of  winter  require  a  sufficient 
amount  of  violent  exercise  to  dry  the  coat  in  proper 
time,  the  remaining  wet  too  long  being  also  un- 
healthy for  animals.  Man  should  be  guided  by 
these  considerations,  and  manage  so  that,  after 
bathing,  there  shall  be  as  much  water  in  the  under- 
clothing as  will  dry  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour 
to  an  hour,  not  more  and  not  less.  Practice  soon 
makes  this  easy.  In  Finland,  where  the  climate  is 
affected  by  the  propinquity  of  the  sea,  the  placing 
of  the  dry  shirt  and  outer  clothing  on  the  dripping 
wet  body,  will,  probably,  at  all  seasons  be  suffi- 
cient ;  while  in  Vienna,  Pesth,  or  in  the  interior  of 
Russia,  where  the  air  is  hot  and  dry,  the  clothing 
should  be  directly  wetted,  in  order  to  secure  the 
full  enjoyment  of  the  bath  without  detrimental  con- 
sequences. 

3.  The  child's  sleep  will  cease  to  be  restless  when 
the  health  is  no  longer  disturbed  by  excessive  bath- 
ing on  false  principles. 

4.  If  nothing  worse  have  ailed  a  child  from  its 
third  to  its  eighth  month  than  light  and  evanescent 
attacks  of   cough   and   cold,   notwithstanding   the 
mistakes  made  in  bathing  it ;  and  if,  as  is  stated, 
the  child's  health  be  normal,  what  more  can  be  de- 
sired ?      It   should   be   remembered  that  thirty  to 
forty  per  cent,  of  children  die  in  the  first  year,  and 
that  an  equal  percentage  undergo  severe  illnesses. 


176  The  Treatment  of  Infants, 

Here  may  be  inserted  a  communication  received 
by  Dr.  G.  Jaeger  some  months  after  the  foregoing 
was  first  printed: 

"The  writer,  feeling  convinced  of  the  value  of 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  procured,  in  antici- 
pation of  the  approaching  birth  of  a  child,  an  en- 
tire woolen  outfit  for  the  newly-born  baby,  which 
from  its  first  existence  has  never  worn  a  particle 
of  linen.  The  appearance  of  the  child,  now  six 
months  old,  is  all  that  could  be  wished  ;  its  limbs 
are  agile  and  strong,  the  body  is  round,  the  flesh 
firm,  and,  in  short,  the  child  is  as  healthy  as  it  can 
possibly  be. 

"  As  to  the  practical  worth  of  the  Sanitary  Wool- 
en System,  the  writer  has  noted  down  the  opinions 
of  the  monthly  nurse,  a  woman  of  twenty  years' 
experience,  as  of  more  value  than  a  great  deal  of 
theorizing  one  way  or  the  other.  At  first  the  whole 
thing  appeared  to  her  ridiculous,  and  she  used  the 
various  woolen  articles  with  reluctance  ;  but  after 
some  time  she  expressed  herself  as  follows  : 

"  '  Although  I  am  poor,  and  have  brought  up  six 
children  in  linen,  I  would  not  hesitate  to  clothe  the 
next  in  wool,  for  it  gives  only  half  the  trouble  of 
linen.  The  colds  which  babies  so  frequently  catch 
are  completely  prevented  by  the  equable  and  sus- 
tained warmth  of  the  woolen  clothing,  which  is  of  the 
greatest  importance,  since  so  little  heat  is  generated 
in  the  body  itself  ;  this  particularly  applies  to  the 
wet  clothes  which,  when  of  linen,  grow  cold  on  the 
body,  while  the  woolen  ones  remain  warm.  An- 
other advantage  is  the  time  and  labor  saved  in 
ironing.  The  washing  of  the  clothes  is  simpler 
and  quicker,  and  that  of  the  frocks  and  shifts  is  not 


Vegetarianism.  177 

required  so  often,  and  it  is  surprising  how  long 
they  keep  clean  and  free  from  smell.  I  also  notice 
that  daily  bathing  and  soaping  do  a  child  more 
harm  than  good.  This  child  was  best  when  simply 
washed,  without  soap,  each  day,  and  afterwards 
lightly  rubbed  with  a  woolen  rag,  soaked  in  olive 
oil  ;  it  was  only  bathed  once  a  week.  I  intend  to 
recommend  the  bringing-up  of  children  in  wool 
wherever  I  can.' 

"  To  this  may  be  added,  that  when  the  child  was 
out  of  doors  for  some  time  the  cloths  which  it 
wetted  frequently  dried  on  the  way,  a  proof  of  the 
rapid  evaporation;  moreover,  they  were  free  from 
odor. 

"  In  conclusion,  the  cost  was  about  the  same  as 
of  a  linen  outfit,  having  regard  to  the  fact  that  only 
half  the  usual  number  of  articles  was  necessary." 

VEGETARIANISM. 
(1882). 

HTHAT  whatever  is  practically  good  and  true  finds 
its  greatest  enemy  in  doctrinism,  over  which, 
however,  it  invariably  triumphs  in  the  end,  is  an  old 
story  that  recurs  to  me  with  especial  vividness  in 
connection  with  this  subject.  My  first  acquaintance 
with  vegetarianism  was  in  the  form  of  the  follow- 
ing doctrine  : 

"According  to  the  construction  of  his  teeth,  the 
nature  of  his  digestive  organs,  and  his  systematic 
conformation,  man  belongs  to  the  genus  ape,  espe- 
cially to  that  of  the  so-called  man-ape.  As  tnese 
animals  are  frugivora  (fruit-eating),  the  fruits  of 


i/8  Vegetarianism. 

the  earth  must  be  the  natural  nourishment  of  man, 
for  whom  meat  is  unnatural  food." 

I  have  always  opposed  this  doctrine,  on  the 
ground  of  practical  experience,  which  I  will  here 
briefly  relate. 

I  was  for  nearly  five  years  the  technical  and 
scientific  director  of  a  zoological  garden,  and  I 
found  that  few  animals  presented  so  many  difficul- 
ties in  respect  of  frailty  of  health  as  the  apes. 
When  I  entered  on  my  duties  I  found  that  the  apes 
were  treated  as  frugivora — />.,  were  fed  with  fruit, 
onions,  carrots,  rice,  potatoes,  etc.;  but  milk  was 
given  to  them  as  well.  The  result  of  this  diet  was, 
as  is  stated  in  the  journal  of  the  Frankfort  Zoologi- 
cal Garden,  an  annual  mortality  of  50  per  cent ! 
The  chief,  and  indeed  exclusive,  cause  of  death  was 
pulmonary  consumption. 

The  following  observation  induced  me  to  adopt 
another  method:  I  had  two  mandrills,  which  soon 
after  their  arrival  showed  every  symptom  of  con- 
sumption (phthisis).  As  I  was  watching  them  one 
day,  a  mandrill  quickly  seized  a  mouse  which  came 
out  of  a  hole  into  the  cage,  and  devoured  it  with 
extraordinary  eagerness. 

I  was  reminded  by  this  incident  (i)  of  the  suc- 
cessful experience  which  I  had  had  in  treating  two 
tuberculous  patients  with  the  so-called  "  cold  prepa- 
ration" of  Liebig's  extract  of  meat  (by  no  means 
to  be  confounded  with  the  Liebig's  extract  ordina- 
rily sold) — />.,  a  solution  of  meat  in  TT^nr  °f  muri- 
atic acid  ;  (2)  that  the  cravings  of  the  sick  are 
nature's  hints,  to  which  the  physician  should  al- 
ways attend. 

From  that  time  I  treated  all  my  apes  as  omniv- 


Vegetarianism.  179 

ora,  or  general  eaters,  and  the  result  was  remark- 
able. Of  the  mandrills — one,  indeed,  died  after  a 
few  weeks,  full  of  tubercles,  but  the  other  recov- 
ered and  survived  for  over  a  year;  an  examination 
after  its  death  showed  that  the  tubercles  had  been 
arrested,  and  that  the  cause  of  death  was  heart 
disease.  The  main  point,  however,  was  that  the 
total  mortality  of  the  apes  was  reduced  from  50 
per  cent,  to  20  per  cent  On  my  recommendation, 
my  colleagues  in  the  other  zoological  gardens  in 
Germany  adopted  the  same  system,  with  a  similar 
result.  To  this  may  be  added  that  apes  in  a  wild 
state  are  by  no  means  exclusively  frugivora,  but 
are  eager  and  alert  to  devour  all  kinds  of  insects, 
worms,  snails,  birds'  eggs,  young  birds,  mice,  etc. 

I  was  therefore  firmly  convinced  that  the  vege- 
tarian doctrine  is  erroneous,  and  I  was  strength- 
ened in  this  view  by  the  fact  that  my  chronic  dys- 
pepsia distinctly  improved  when  I  began  to  avoid 
potatoes  and  farinaceous  and  leguminous  foods, 
from  which  I  suffer  most  inconvenience,  and  to 
keep  more  strictly  to  a  meat  diet. 

This  was  my  position  on  the  question  of  Vegeta- 
rianism at  the  time  that  I  made  my  researches  into 
the  action  of  odorous  matters,  and  published  my 
theory  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System.  Here, 
again,  troublesome  doctrinism  at  once  showed  its 
hostility  to  what  is  practically  good.  The  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  was  vehemently  attacked  by  the 
doctrinists  of  vegetarianism.  This  availed,  how- 
ever, as  little  as  did  the  doctrinary  assaults  which 
were  made  from  other  quarters ;  the  practical 
value  of  the  system  forced  recognition,  and  not  from 


1 80  Vegetarianism. 

the  "  omnivora"  alone,  but  especially  from  vegeta- 
rians, in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  their  doctrinary 
leaders  ;  so  that  a  year  ago  the  admission  was  made 
in  the  vegetarian  journal,  the  Naturarzt,  that  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  had  become  a  power  which 
must  be  taken  into  account. 

I  have  since  been  continually  in  contact,  both 
personally  and  by  correspondence,  with  vegeta- 
rians, luckily  not  with  the  doctrinists,  but  with 
common-sense,  rational  people,  whose  maxim  is, 
"  Examine  everything  and  retain  the  best."  From 
the  communications  I  thus  received,  detailing  per- 
sonal practical  experience,  which  I  value  higher 
than  any  doctrine,  I  arrived  at  the  conviction  that 
the  doctrinal  and  the  practical  aspects  of  vege- 
tarianism are  not  in  congruity — that  is  to  say,  that 
the  vegetarian  mode  of  life  can  show  great  prac- 
tical results,  although  the  doctrinal  foundation 
on  which  it  rests  is  erroneous.  These  communi- 
cations, together  with  my  progressive  knowledge 
respecting  the  nature  of  disease  and  cure,  and  the 
practical  experience  (now  first  fully  comprehended) 
which  I  had  with  animals,  as  medical  superinten- 
dent at  the  zoological  garden,  greatly  changed  my 
attitude  towards  vegetarianism,  and  assisted  me  to 
a  different  and,  I  believe,  a  more  scientifically  cor- 
rect, fundamental  reason  for  the  vegetarian  mode 
of  life. 

My  readers  are  acquainted  with  my  maxim, 
"  Disease  is  stench" — i.e.,  everything  malodorous 
either  causes  or  disposes  to  disease,  and  this  tend- 
ency is  enhanced  in  proportion  to  the  offensive- 


Vegetarian  ism.  1 8 1 

ness  of  the  odor.*  The  cages  in  any  zoological 
garden  or  menagerie  afford  ready  proof  that  the 
excrement  of  carnivora  is  more  offensive  than  that 
of  frugivora.  The  manifold  experience  with  dogs 
shows  that  this  difference  does  not  proceed  from 
the  specifically  diverse  natures  of  carnivora  and 
frugivora,  but  from  their  diverse  food.  The  ex- 
halations from  dogs,  especially  big  dogs,  which  are 
fed  with  meat,  are  so  offensive  that  the  animals 
cannot  be  endured  in  a  room  ;  and  it  is  an  almost 
universal  rule  to  feed  only  watch-dogs  with  meat, 
and  to  restrict  house-dogs  to  a  vegetarian  diet, 
although  such  is  not  their  natural  diet.  It  might  be 
supposed  that  this  unnatural  nutriment  would  dis- 
agree with  house-dogs,  but  precisely  the  reverse  is 
the  case  :  those  (principally  little  dogs,  whose  ex- 
halations are  less  perceptible)  fed  with  meat  are  in 
no  way  healthier  than  those  who  are  compulsory 
vegetarians  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  former  have  a 
disposition  to  eruptive  diseases,  digestive  com- 
plaints, inflammatory  disorders,  hemorrhoids,  etc. 

The  popular  expression  for  these  well-known 
facts  is  that  "  meat  is  too  heating  for  dogs  ;"  and 
yet  no  one  will  dispute  that  dogs,  as  appertaining 
to  the  fox  and  wolf  s'pecies,  with  similar  formation 

*The  pithiness  of  the  epigram  is  somewhat  at  the  cost  of 
scientific  accuracy,  as  the  succeeding  "i.e."  partly  discloses. 
Disease  is  not  strictly  stench,  nor  is  stench  disease,  or  even,  ex- 
cept mediately,  the  cause  of  disease,  but  only  an  indication  of 
the  presence  of  substances  possessing  morbific  properties.  It 
seems  proper  to  state  this  explicitly,  since  the  shadow  of  the 
Doctor's  maxim  rests  upon  other  passages  in  his  book. 


1 82  Vegetarianism. 

of  the  teeth,  intestines,  etc.,  are  naturally  carniv- 
orous. The  explanation  of  this  apparent  contra- 
diction is,  that  every  creature  has  its  so-called 
natural  food;  but  so  soon  as  it  is  withdrawn  from 
its  natural  surroundings,  and  placed  in  a  condition 
which  is  not  natural  to  it,  a  change  of  diet  is  neces- 
sary. This  is  especially  true  of  carnivora,  but  is 
also  true  of  frugivora.  It  is  well  known,  for  in- 
stance, to  cattle-breeders  that  hay  is  more  whole- 
some for  stalled  cattle  than  green  food,  and  yet 
the  latter  is  their  natural  nutriment. 

To  man's  physical  nature  the  same  laws  apply 
as  to  that  of  the  animals,  as  any  one  who  is  not  al- 
ready convinced  can  prove  on  his  own  person.  The 
odor  of  the  evacuations,  as  well  as  of  the  exhala- 
tions, is  much  less  penetrating  when  the  diet  is 
vegetarian  than  when  the  body  is  nourished  on 
meat.  This  I  consider  to  be  the  reason  of  the  un- 
deniable success  of  the  vegetarian  mode  of  living 
in  numerous  cases  of  illness,  and  to  constitute  its 
hygienic  importance  ;  for  as  with  the  house-dog, 
so  with  most  civilized  men,  they  live  within  four 
walls,  and  are  thus  liable  to  be  injuriously  affected 
by  their  own  exhalations  in  proportion  as  these  are 
mal-odorous. 

Vegetarianism  therefore  contends,  although  this 
has  not  hitherto  been  clearly  perceived,  with  the 
same  enemy  that  is  attacked  by  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  ;  and  it  was  thus  in  the  natural 
order  of  things  that  among  vegetarians  the  System 
at  once  found  enthusiastic  adherents.  The  "  nox- 
ious" emanations  of  the  body  were  the  impelling 
cause  of  vegetarianism,  and  some  found  therein  a 
remedy  for  their  complaints,  while  others,  when 


Vegetarianism.  183 

the  external  and  internal  conditions  were  less  favor- 
able, experienced  only  alleviation  ;  and  these  lat- 
ter, with  accurate  instinct,  adopted  the  Sanitary 
Woolen  System  as  a  means  of  perfecting  their 
cure. 

To  the  question  whether,  on  the  foregoing 
grounds,  I  recommend  vegetarianism,  I  can  reply 
neither  in  the  affirmative  nor  the  negative,  for  the 
following  reasons  : 

The  suitability  of  a  particular  form  of  nutriment 
to  man  cannot  be  decided  solely  by  the  nature  of 
the  emanations  which  it  evolves  ;  the  degree  of  its 
digestibility  and  of  its  nutritious  quality  must  be 
taken  into  account.  In  these  respects  flesh  foods, 
as  a  class,  are  distinctly  superior  to  vegetable 
foods,  although  very  fat  meat  is  more  difficult  of 
digestion  than  many  kinds  of  fruit,  and  in  point  of 
nutritiousness  legumes  are  very  little  inferior  to 
meat  ;  but  on  the  whole  the  above  statement  holds 
good.  When,  therefore,  the  conditions  of  time 
or  space  require  that  the  nutriment  should  be  in- 
tensive, meat  is  distinctly  more  effectual  than  a 
purely  vegetable  diet  ;  and  most  vegetarians  have 
practically  admitted  the  inadequacy  of  the  latter 
by  adopting  two  of  the  most  nourishing  and  easily 
digested  animal  foods — milk  and  eggs. 

I  therefore  go  thus  far  with  vegetarianism  :  For 
those  who  suffer  from  the  evolution  of  the  "  nox- 
ious" emanations  two  courses  are  open,  the  Sani- 
tary Woolen  System  and  vegetarianism.  Either 
or  both  may  be  chosen.  I  consider  that  vege- 
tarianism is  especially  suited  to  the  constitutions 
of  people  who  lead  indoor  lives,  and  the  lightness 
of  whose  occupation  creates  in  the  body  a  rela- 


1 84  Vegetarianism. 

tively  small  need  of  nourishment;  in  short,  people 
whose  calling  compels  them  to  be  idle  indoors — 
as,  for  instance,  persons  who  have  frequently  to 
wait  in  a  condition  of  complete  inactivity  for 
orders  from  their  chiefs,  or  those  who  have  only 
light,  unvaried  occupations,  as  copying,  sewing, 
knitting,  reading,  etc. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  should  dissuade  those  who 
work  hard,  physically  or  mentally,  or  who  on  other 
grounds  require  easily  digestive,  intensive  nutri- 
ment, both  from  a  purely  vegetarian  mode  of  liv- 
ing, and  from  restricting  their  diet  too  exclusively 
to  meat  ;  such  persons  require  a  mixed  diet,  and 
should  adopt  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System. 

Between  the  extremes  of  hard  and  light  workers 
there  will  be  many  cases  in  which  I  can  only  give 
the  advice  both  as  to  vegetarianism  and  the  Sani- 
tary Woolen  System  which  I  myself  have  always 
followed  to  advantage,  "  Examine  everything  and 
retain  the  best."  I  have  been  reproached  with 
riding  an  excellent  principle  to  death,  but  my  only 
principle  is  the  foregoing  maxim,  and  I  admit  that 
I  am  willing  to  ride  this  at  all  times.  My  practice 
as  a  public  teacher  and  adviser  is  not  to  recom- 
mend that  which  I  and  many  others  have  recog- 
nized as  the  best,  with  a  demand  for  unconditional 
acceptance  and  submission  to  my  authority, — I 
simply  say,  "  Here  is  something  which  many  have 
approved,  and  which  is  therefore  worthy  of 
trial  by  others."  I  only  ask  that  the  trial  shall  be 
correct  and  thorough.  This  is  my  position  in 
reference  to  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  and  from 
this  standpoint  I  have  discussed  vegetarianism. 


Positive  and  Negative  Effects.  185 


THE  POSITIVE  AND  NEGATIVE   EFFECTS 
OF  THE  SANITARY  WOOLEN  SYSTEM. 

(1883.) 

TI7HOEVER  has  read  my  publication  on  the  sub- 
*  ject  must  be  well  aware  that  I  have  never 
claimed  for  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System  that  it  is 
a  universal  remedy,  or  that  it  protects  against 
every  disease.  As  I  find  that  the  contrary  is  fre- 
quently asserted,  I  will  now  state  what  experience 
has  so  far  shown  that  the  Sanitary  Woolen  System 
will  not  do. 

As  regards  the  prevention  of  disease,  a  person 
who  is  suffering  from  any  disorder,  and  who  adopts 
the  System,  is  not  immediately  enabled  to  resist  the 
effects  of  weather,  of  infection,  and  of  the  emotions; 
the  System  must  first  aid  the  body  to  expel  the 
disorder.  Where  the  cure  is  not  complete,  the 
System  distinctly  increases  the  power  of  resistance 
to  the  above-named  influences,  but  cannot  possibly 
make  this  perfect.  If  the  cure  be  complete,  then — 
and  all  experience,  so  far,  confirms  this — the  resist- 
ance to  influences  of  weather  and  temperature  is 
exactly  that  which  is  possessed  by  the  domestic 
animals,  not  greater  and  not  less. 

Respecting  the  power  of  resisting  infection,  I 
have  constantly  made  the  restriction  that  this  does 
not  apply  equally  to  every  kind  of  infection;  the 
so-called  abdominal,  infectious  diseases  (cholera, 
typhus,  dysentery)  are  those  against  which  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  principally  protects. 


1 86  Positive  and  Negative  Effects. 

Against  infectious  diseases  of  the  skin  the  System 
affords  only  a  modified  protection,  and  as  regards 
its  action  in  cases  of  chronic,  infectious  disease,  I 
have  refrained  from  expressing  any  opinion. 

This  was  my  position  from  the  first,  and  I  have 
never  swerved  from  it.  Against  some  diseases  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  affords  no  protection.  I 
know  that  it  has  not  availed  against  heart  disease, 
nor  against  diabetes,  as  to  the  origin  of  which  so 
little  is  yet  ascertained.  Of  course,  the  System  is 
powerless  to  prevent  the  evil  effects  of  illness  aris- 
ing from  the  continued  use  of  unwholesome  food, 
or  from  inhaling  poisonous  vapors  ;  in  other 
words,  it  does  not  protect  the  body  against  all  dis- 
eases due  to  extraneous  influences,  but  against  the 
evil  effects  of  its  own  "  noxious"  exhalations. 

[Any  one  who  has  attentively  read  Dr.  Jaeger's 
book  will  see  at  once  that  he  here  concedes  too 
much  against  his  System — that  he  claims  less  for  it 
than  it  is  entitled  to,  when  he  says  there  are  some 
diseases  to  which  it  affords  no  protection.  The 
plain  implication  of  his  fundamental  proposition 
is  against  the  concession.  While  it  cannot  avail  to 
cure  heart  disease  or  diabetes,  it  is  evident  that  even 
these  diseases  must  be  in  some  degree  subject  to 
the  general  condition  of  the  body  either  in  its  tend- 
ency to  succumb,  or  its  ability  to  resist  perturbing 
influences. — EDITOR.] 

The  remedial  power  of  the  Sanitary  Woolen 
System  may  be  summed  up  as  follows  : 

i.  The  Sanitary  Woolen  System  cure  runs  its 
course  similarly  to  all  so-called  constitutional  cures 
— t.e.9  those  which  act  upon  the  constitution.  The 
necessity  of  expelling  a  disease  through  the  secre- 


Positive  and  Negative  Effects.  187 

tions  of  the  body  may  give  rise  to  "critical"  symp- 
toms, in  the  form  of  an  acute  attack  of  illness; 
and,  as  with  all  constitutional  methods  of  cures,  it 
may  happen  that  the  patient  succumbs. 

2.  The  complaints  which  have  proved  most 
readily  susceptible  to  the  remedial  effects  of  the 
Sanitary  Woolen  System  are  precisely  those  which 
have  been  most  obstinate  when  treated  by  the 
methods  previously  known.  I  refer  to  purely  ner- 
vous disorders,  next  to  which  comes  the  group  of 
catarrhal  and  rheumatic  complaints.  Of  the  more 
localized  diseases  of  the  internal  organs  the  most 
susceptible  to  the  System  have  been  lung  affections, 
including  tubercles.  Greater  pertinacity  is  shown 
by  diseases  of  the  liver,  and  by  many,  although  not 
by  all,  diseases  of  the  kidneys  (diabetes  resists  the 
System,  which  also  seems  unable  to  prevent  it). 
The  System  prevents  chlorosis,  but  will  not  cure  it, 
although  rendering  it  more  capable  of  being  cured. 

Lastly,  the  tonsils  resist  the  remedial  power  of 
the  Sanitary  Woolen  System,  and  as  the  delicacy 
vof  these  organs  constitutes,  in  my  own  case,  the  ob- 
stacle to  my  attainment  of  constant  equable  health, 
I  will  treat  of  them  somewhat  more  in  detail. 

Just  as  certain,  natural,  cyclic,  bodily  incidents  are 
repeated  at  regular  periods,  so  there  are  some  cyclic 
disorders,  which,  without  any  apparent  cause,  recur 
at  more  or  less  fixed  intervals,  and  which  are  fur- 
ther distinguished  by  the  circumstance  that  they 
are  hereditary.  The  most  characteristic  of  this 
class  of  complaints  is  inflammation  of  the  tonsils,  a 
tendency  to  which  was  transmitted  to  me  by  my 
mother,  while  two  of  my  children  inherit  from 
me.  As  a  rule,  this  inherited  tendency  is  first  re- 


1 88  Positive  and  Negative  Effects. 

vealed  on  the  entrance  into  puberty,  and  such  was 
the  case  with  myself  and  my  two  children.  After 
that  age  I  suffered  every  winter  from  an  acute 
attack  of  inflammation  of  the  tonsils  or  the  throat. 

Since  I  have  adopted  the  Sanitary  Woolen  Sys- 
tem the  complaint  is  no  longer  of  an  inflammatory 
nature,  and  has  assumed  a  catarrhal  form,  which  I 
ascribe  partly  to  the  incomplete  carrying-out  of  the 
System  during  the  course  of  its  development,  and 
partly  to  external  injurious  influences,  such  as  the 
condition  of  the  atmosphere,  etc.  I  was  curious  as 
to  what  would  be  the  experience  of  last  winter,  the 
first  in  which  I  had  carried  out  the  System  in  its 
entirety.  This  thoroughness  notwithstanding,  the 
complaint  returned  at  the  usual  period,  without 
appreciable  cause,  so  that  I  now  look  upon  it  as  the 
remainder  of  an  inherited  tendency  to  cyclically 
recurrent  inflammation  of  the  tonsils. 

This  winter  the  attack  was  unprecedentedly  mild, 
so  much  so  that  it  did  not  prevent  me,  in  February, 
on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  to  Dresden,  from  speak- 
ing, with  only  one  hour's  interruption,  incessantly 
from  2  p.m.  to  4  a.m.;  at  9  a.m.  I  resumed  discus- 
sion, my  voice  being  quite  unaffected,  until  6  p.m., 
and  again,  in  the  train,  from  2  to  7  in  the  early 
morning.  Another  week  I  spoke  on  the  Monday 
for  eight  and  a  half  hours ;  on  the  Thursday 
for  seventeen  hours,  with  an  interruption  of  two 
and  a  half  hours;  on  the  Friday  for  nineteen  hours, 
without  interruption.  During  this  time  my  voice 
was  husky,  and  occasionally  hoarse,  but  it  sustained 
no  injury  from  the  unusual  exertion.  I  may  add 
that  my  total  allowance  of  sleep  from  the,  Monday 
to  the  Saturday  was  twenty-five  hours, 


Sanitary  Objections  to  Vegetable  Fiber.     1 89 

My  two  children,  who  have  inherited  this  delicacy 
of  the  tonsils  from  me,  also  felt  none  of  its  effects 
until  they  reached  the  age  of  puberty,  when  in  one 
case  it  took  the  form  of  an  affection  of  the  tonsils 
and  larynx,  with  feverish  symptoms,  but  soon 
changed  into  chronic  hoarseness,  free  from  all 
fever;  in  the  other  case  there  was  from  the  first  an 
entire  absence  of  feverish  symptoms,  as  is  now  the 
case  with  myself. 

Another  of  my  children,  who  arrived  at  adult 
years  some  time  ago,  was  similarly  troubled  during 
the  period  of  youth,  but  has  long  been  free  from 
the  disorder.  This  proves  that  in  the  cases  of  my- 
self and  my  two  children,  who  first  suffered  from 
this  complaint  when  we  were  adolescent,  the  cause 
does  not  lie  in  a  faulty  mode  of  living,  and  is  too 
deeply  implanted  in  the  constitution  to  be  pre- 
vented or  cured  by  any  particular  system. 


VEGETABLE  FIBER,  WHEN  AND  WHY 
UNSANATORY. 

(1884.) 

'"THE  sanitary  objections  to  materials  of  vegetable 
fiber  are  patent  from  the  following  facts  : 

1.  Every  sick  person  gives  forth  a  malodorous 
exhalation  ;  a  proof  of  this  is  afforded  in  the  attrac- 
tion of  flies,  which  are  allured  by  matter  which  has 
become  malodorous. 

2.  An  offensive  atmosphere,  especially  when   it 
has  become  so  through  human  exhalations,  is   a 
well-known  cause  of  illness. 

3.  Bacteria  are  "  koprophilous"  parasites,  which 


190    Sanitary  Objections  to  Vegetable  Fiber. 

multiply   in  solutions  of  offensive-smelling  nutri- 
ment. 

4.  Living  plants  are  "koprophagous,"  attracting 
all  evil  odors,  and  assimilating  them.     The  effect 
of  vegetation  in  purifying  the  air  has  long  been 
recognized. 

5.  Dead  vegetable  fiber  has  a  similar  power  of 
absorbing  evil  odors  ;  as,  however,  it  cannot  assim- 
ilate them,  the  ordinary  laws  of  gas-absorption  pre- 
vail, /.<?.,  the  absorption  is  greatest  under  conditions 
of  cold,  and  the  odors  are  again  exhaled  when  the 
fiber  is  warmed  or  wetted.     Clothing,  bedding,  and 
generally  all  material  of  vegetable  fiber,  while  cold 
(/>.,  not  in  use),  and  when  placed  in  the  atmosphere 
of   human  beings,  attract  the  malodorous  exhala- 
tions until  no  more  can  be  absorbed  ;  as  soon  as 
such  clothing,  bedding,  etc.,  comes  in  contact  with 
the  warm  body,  these  emanations  are  given  off  in 
proportion   to    the   degree   of   temperature.     This 
directly  induces  spasmodic  action  of  the  capillaries 
of  the  skin  (feeling  of  chill),  and  the  atmosphere 
breathed  is  corrupted.     Both  effects  are  intensified 
when  the  fiber  is  damp;  wet,  unvarnished,  or  un- 
painted  wooden  floors,  and  damp  linen  or  cotton 
shirts,  or  bedding,  are  notoriously   dangerous   to 
health. 

6.  Just  as  living  animal  substance,  when  at  rest, 
stores  up  oxygen,  so,  under  similar  conditions,  it 
stores  up  the  noxious  emanations  proceeding  from 
the  digested   food  ;    but  while   the    chlorophyl  of 
living  vegetable  fiber  assimilates  such  emanations, 
the  living  animal  substance  does  not  possess  that 
faculty.     These  noxious  emanations  therefore  read- 
ily become  disengaged  in  the  body,  especially  when 


Sanitary  Objections  to  Vegetable  Fiber.     191 

there  is  excessive  internal  heat,  and  permeate  the 
tissues  and  juices,  inducing  similar  phenomena  to 
those  caused  by  the  direct  inhalation  of  malodor- 
ous air,  viz.,  spasmodic  action  of  the  capillaries  of 
the  skin,  with  feverish  shivering  while  the  spasms 
last ;  further,  the  insufficient  throwing  off  by  the 
skin  of  the  internal  warmth  is  felt,  when  the  spasms 
subside,  as  febrile  heat  on  the  surface.  The  reten- 
tion of  the  noxious  emanations  which  proceed  from 
the  digested  food  is  thus  tantamount  to  a  disposi- 
tion to  feverish  sickness. 

7.  The  retention  of  the  emanations  which  pro- 
ceed from  the  digested  food  also  gives  rise  to  the 
so-called  ferment  diseases,  as  they  impart  to  the 
juices  of  the  body   the  fcecal    taint   which   these 
"koprophilous"  ferments  require. 

8.  Whoever,   therefore,  uses   clothing,    bedding, 
and    materials   of   vegetable    fiber   not    sanitarily 
treated,  is   continually  exposed  to  the  danger   in- 
volved by  the  retention  of  the  emanations  from  the 
digested  food  ;  and  this  danger  is  avoided  so  soon 
as  use  is  made  of  animal  fiber  only,  or  of  such 
vegetable  fiber  as  has  been  impregnated  with  fatty 
or  resinous  matter  (in  short  with  matter  which  is 
not  soluble  in  water),  and  has  thus  been  rendered 
incapable  of  absorbing  evil  odors. 


INDEX, 


Abdominal  organs,  3,  87,  159 
Aberration,  mental,  5 
Acid,  use  in  fermentation,  23 
Adulteration,  horsehair,  135 

wool,  92,  no 
Air,  change,  in,  141 

in  rooms  (see  Ventilation) 
Albumen,  i,  15,  32,  38,  103 
Alimentary  canal,  32,  42 
Allopathy,  152 
Alpenrose,  22 
Aniline  dyes,  153,  158 
Animals,  domestic,  u,  75,  108, 

112,  181 

feathered  (see  Birds) 
hairy,  67,  75 
mammiferous,  174 
and  poisons,  131 
in  stable,  n,  113 
Antelope,  67 
Antiseptics,  22 
Anxiety  (see  Emotions) 
Ape,  177 

Apoplexy,  3,  n,  66 
Armies,  epidemics,  41 
Ass,  67 
Asthma,  163 
Athletic  sports,  158 
Australians,  native,  76 
Austria,  89 

B 

Bacteria,  18,  20,  189 
Baldness,  53,  75 
Baltic  fishermen,  124 
BANTING  cure,  6 


Barm,  20 

Baths,  6,  8,  9,  37,  87,  112,  122, 

173 

Bavaria,  90 
Beaver,  67 

Bed,  54,  126,  133-4,  135,  171, 173 
Bedroom  window  (see  Ventila- 
tion) 

Bedrooms,  heated,  18 
Bee-stings,  96 
Belt,  159,  160 
Birds,  67,  114,  134 
Blacking  (see  Boot) 
Blood    distribution,  3,   n,    36, 

66,  84,  87 
r    fullness,  2 

poorness,  2,  6 
Blood-vessels,    2,    n,   60,   104, 

123 

Bones,  31,  33 
Boot,  167 

Bowels,  32,  39,  160 
Brain,  31,  39,  60 
Breathing,  conditions,  163 
1     difficulty  (see  Asthma) 
1     measure,  4 
Brewers'  mash,  20,  23 
BRILLAT  SAVARIN,  160 
Bruises,  31 
Buckskin  leather,  169 
Butyric  acid,  24 


Camphor,  80,  173 
Capacity  of  working  (see  Work- 
ing) 
Carbonic  acid,  4,  34,  53 


194 


Index. 


Carnivora,  181 

Cat,  115 

Catarrh,  57,  60,    70,    109,  127, 

173,  187 
Cattle,  grazing,  113 

"     housed,  n,  113,  182 

"     stung  by  flies,  96 
Cellar  floors,  19 
Centenarians,  76 
Cesspools,  21,  24 
Cheese,  151 
Chemise,  51,  74 
Chest,  35,  36 
Chicken-pox,  79 
Children,  mortality,  175 

"     treatment,  27,  54,  64,  76, 

173 

Chills  (see  Colds) 
Cholera,  17,  21,  26,  32,  41,  44, 

56,  185 

Chronic  disorders,  102,  186 
Climatic  changes,  16,  67 
Climbing,  164 
Clothing,  cleanliness,  80,  90 

*'     cleansing,  171 

4<    colors  (see  Dyes) 

"     cut,  36,  50,  74,  90 

"     fire-proof,  106 

"     infection  by,  127 

"     materials,  48,  91 

"     services  required,  12,  16 

"    summer  and  winter,  52, 
66 

"    weakening  effect,  84,  90 

"    worn  out,  137 
Coal,  117 
Coat,  interior  of  lining,  51,  91 

"    removal,  66,  74,  94 

"     Sanatory,  12,  35,  51,  65, 

68,  74,  85,  91,  loo 
Cochineal  (see  Dyes) 
Cold,  exposure,  59,  86 

"     inurement,  16 
Colds,  9,  31,  34,  48,  58,  62,  71, 

84,  102,  174 
Cold  water  cure,  87 
Collar,  81 
Colors  (see  Dyes) 


Concentration,  degree,  19,  21, 

57,  128,  134,  141,  147, 

149,  172 
Constitution,  28,  88,   106,   151, 

183,  186,  189 
Consumption,  4,  178,  187 
Corpulence  (see  Obesity) 
Corset,  51,  163,  166 
Cotton  (see  Linen  and  Cotton) 
Cough,  57,  72,  78,  108,  134,  138, 

174 

Counter-irritation,  87 
Cow,  33 
Cowhair,  135 
Cow-pox,  57 
Cramp,  writers',  145 
Cravat,  82 
Craw-fish,  151 
Crisis  of  disease,  88,  101,  102, 

187 

Curative  power  of  wool,  86 
Curtains,  52,  122,  133 
Cyclic  disorders,  187 

D 

Dancing,  158 

Death,  26,  40,  61,  128 

Deodorization,  54,  140,  173 

Depression  (see  Emotions) 

Desert,  inhabitants,  67 

Designs,  registration,  97 

Desiccation,  20 

Diabetes,  186 

Diaphragm,  163 

Diarrhoea,  151 

Die  Niederen  Pilze,  etc.,  15 

Diet,  change,  112,  181 

Digestion,  60,  64,  74,  108,  127, 
140,  160,  177,  181,  183 

Diphtheria,  77 

Dirt,  43,  80,  170 

Disease,  causes,  14 
'     chronic,  102,  186 
'    crisis,  88,  101,  102,  187 
1     cyclic,  187 
1    germs  (see  Germs) 
*    hereditary,  187 


Index. 


195 


Disease,  immunity,  15,  26,  27, 
34,42,56,70,77,78,185 
infectious  (see  Germs) 
"     nature,  126 
Disinfection,  21,  55 
Dislocations,  31 
Doctrinism,  177 
D°g,  75,  I",  Ir5,  175,  181 
Drawers,  51 
Dread  (see  Emotions) 
Dreams,  174 
Dropsy,  3,  5,6,  9,  61 
Duration  of  life,  75 
Dust,  69,  80,  116,  170 
Dyes,  146,  151,  156,  172 
Dyscrasia,  89,  103,  105 
Dysentery,  21,  32,  41,  43,  79,  185 
Dyspepsia  (see  Digestion) 


Egg,  40,  183 
Emotions,  38,  64,  78 
Emphysematous  lesions,  5 
Epidemics  (see  Germs) 

"     in  armies,  41 
Equanimity  (see  Emotions) 


Fat  (see  Obesity) 

"     excess,  2,  n,  30,  47,  74, 

87 

1    liter-weight,  30 
Fatty  degeneration  of  brain,  5 

"     deposits,  5 
Feathers,  135 
Feelings,  39,   49,   54,   120,   141, 

152,  161 

Fermentation,  18,  20,  22,  32,  57 
Fever  (see  Denominations) 

"     anguish,  39 
Fieverishness,  58,  153,  189 
Fingers,  cold,  145 
Finland,  89,  173,  175 
Fishermen,  Baltic,  124 
Flatulence  (see  Digestion) 
Flea  (see  Parasites) 
Flesh,  dried,  32 
Flies,  94,  189 


Flowers,  perfume,  130 
Food,  6,  38,  60,  108,  151,  178 
Foot,  125,  168 
Frugivora,  177 
Fruit-juices,  20 
Fungi  (see  Germs) 
Furniture,  119 


Game,  ground,  113 
Garlic,  151 

Germany,  population,  77 
Germs  in  cesspools,  21 

"     of  infection,    17,   21,   25, 

27,  32,  35,  44,  55,  79, 

126,  185 

"    mildew,  20,  22 
"    NAEGELI  on,  15,  56 
"     nutriment  required,  19,21, 

25 

PETTENKOFER'S     discov- 
ery, 17 

propagation,  25,  60 
"     putrescence,    18,    20,   22, 

23,  24,  57 
"     struggle  for  existence,  21, 

26 

Girth-measurement,  9,  37,  47 
Gloves,  95 
Gnats,  95 
Gout,  5 

Grams,  equivalent,  28 
Grass,  shadow,  135 
Gravity,  specific  (see  Weight) 
Grease,  80,  81,  169 
Growth,  attainment,  75,  76 
Gymnastics,  61,  87 

H 

Hair,  turning  white,  41 

Hamburg,  90 

Handkerchief,  107,  127 

Hardening  of  body,  10,  15,  16, 
21,  27,  34,  35,  37,  52, 
60,  73,  76,  86,  92,  109 

Hat,  75 

Headache,  58,  75,  134,  142,  173 

Heart,  3,  60,  134,  186 


Index. 


Heartburn  (see  Digestion) 
HELLWALD,  Fr.  von,  146 
Hemorrhoids,  3,  181 
Hips,  154,  163 
Hoarseness  (see  Voice) 
Hog,  33 

Homoeopathy,  152,  156 
Horse,  75,  107,  in,  163 
Horsehair,  135,  148 
Houses,  old,  121 
HUFELAND,  54 


Imbecility,  5,  31 
Indigo  (see  Dyes) 
Industries,  linen  and  cotton,  89 
Infantile  disorders,  27,  174,  175 
Infants  (see  Children) 
Influenza,  70 
Instinct,  152,  183 
Intermittent  fever,  17,  121 
Intestines,  31,  33,  140 
Inventors,  97,  98 
Irritability,  31,  64 
Ischias,  154 
Italy,  154 

K 

Kidneys,  187 
Kilograms,  equivalent,  28 


Lacerations,  31 

Lacing,  tight,  166,  167 

Lactic  acid,  4 

Lacteous  fermentation,  22 

Ladies'  dress,  51,  74,  163,  166, 

169 

Lamp,  platinum,  137 
Leather,  75,  161,  167 
Legs,  3 
Lesions,  5 

Liebig's  Extract,  178 
Life,  duration,  75 
Ligaments,  2 
Linen,  clean,  132 


Linen  and  cotton,  12,  48,  49,  51, 
54,  55,  75,  80,  82,  84 
95,  loo,  107,  123,  131, 
134,  136,  153,  171,  190, 

Linings,  49,  55,  75,  80,  85,  100 

Liquors,  fermentation,  22 

Liter-weight  of  bulk,  28 

Liver,  166,  187 

Logwood  (see  Dyes) 

Loins,  154,  159 

Longevity,  76 

Lungs,  2,  n,  60,  70,   117,  127, 


M 

Malarious  soil,  18 
Mandrill,  178 
Manufacturers,  97 
Marshy  surfaces,  17 
Mattress  (see  Bed) 
MAYENFISCH,  92 
Measles,  27,  79 
Measurement  of  breathing,  4 

chest,  162 

of  girth,  9,  37,  47,  162 

nerve  action  (see  Nerves) 

of  soldiers,  28 

specific  weight,  10,  29 
Meat,  putrefaction,  20 
Medicine,  152,  156 
Menagerie  (see  Zoological) 
Mice,  113,  178 
Mildew,  21,  23 
Milk,  151,  183 
Mood  (see  Emotions) 
Moth,  137 
Mucous  fever,  32 
Munich,  soil,   18 
Muscle,  2,  5,  8,  10,  31,  159 
Mutton,  113,   151 

N 

NAEGELI  on  germs,  15,  56 
Naturarzt,  180 
Navel,  35,  160 
Necessity,  natural,  141 


Index. 


197 


Nerves,  excitability,  2,  5,  n,  31 
measurements,  6,  31,  no, 
128,  147,  150,  153,  154, 
155,   161 
'     sensibility,  31 
"     severance,  5,  n 
Nervous    disorders,     127,     187 

' '     fever,  17 
Network  undervests,  12 
Neue  Zilr.  Zeitung,  92 
Night  air,  53 
Nightdress,  73 

"  Noxious"  principle,  38,  40,  41, 
49.  53,  59,  63,  78,  86, 
89,  103,  104,  105,  107, 
109,  112,  127,  141,  149, 
158,  171,  182,  186 
Numbness,  154,  155 

O 

Obesity,  2,  5,  30,  47,  160 

Odor,  38,  52,  56,  80,  82,  86,  102, 
107,  114,  116,  120,  130, 
132,  139,  146,  172,  177, 
180,  181,  189 

Onions,  151,  178 

Opposition,  89 

Otter,  67 

Overcoat,   50 

Ozogen,  139,  173 


Padding  (see  Linings) 
Paper,  108,  138,  145 
Parasites,  44,  113,  114 
Patents,  97 
Perfumery,  130 
Peritoneum,  160. 
Permanence  of  effect,  87 
Perspiration  (see  Skin,  action) 
Pesth,  175 
PETTENKOFER,  17 
Petticoats,  51 
Phosphate  of  lime,  33 
Phthisis,  4,  178,  187 
Pillows  (see  Bed) 
Pipe  stem,  no 
Plague,  the,  41 


Plants,  conditions  of  growth,  22 

Platinum  lamp,  137 

Pneumonia,  61 

Pockets,  49 

Poison,  characterization,  128 

Population,  German,  77 

Post-mortem  examination,  44 

Poultice,  REGLIN,  35 

Prejudice,  89,  90,  99 

Primrose,  22 

Progress,  90,  99 

Prussic  acid,  128,  130 

Puberty,  152,  188 

Pulmonary   affections,   4,    178, 

187 
Putrescence  (see  Germs) 


Quinsy,  27 


0 


R 


Rabbit,  53 

"  Reaction,"  59 

Reading  (see  Voice) 

Registration  of  designs,  97 

REGLIN  poultice,  35 

Respiratory  organs  (see  Lungs) 

Rheumatism,  134,  173,  187 

Ribs,  159,  163 

Rooms,  heated,  18,  60,  107,  157 

Royalties,  97,  98 

Running,  150,  165 

Russia,  175 


Salt,  127 

"  Salutary"  principle,  38,  63,  65, 

88,  105,  127,  137,  149 
Sanitary  Woolen    System     (see 

various  headings) 
Savages,  76 
Savoyards,  154 
Scarlatina,  27 
Scarlet  fever,  26 
SCHILLER,  quotation,  99 
School,  after  dinner,  65 
"    attendance  statistics,  o, 


198 


Index. 


School,  gymnastics,  62 
"    infection  at,  58 

Schoolroom,  atmosphere,  63 

School  teachers,  64 

Sea  water,  putrescent,  24 

Sedentary  life,  2,  u,  107,  120, 
164 

Sensations  (see  Feelings) 

Sewage,  115 

Sewers,  laborers  in,  56 

Sheep,  113 

Shepherds,  Hungarian,  68 

Shirt,  linen  or  cotton  (see  Linen) 
!     Sanitary  Woolen,   12,  49, 

73,  81,  84,  98,  153 
[    front  starched,  14 

Shivering  fits,  104 

Shoe  (set  Boot) 

Silk,  51,  84 

Sinews,  2 

Skin,  action,  5,  10,  n,  12,  14, 
16,  36,  38,  44,  48,  54, 
55,  62, 66,  74,  86,  87,  92, 
102,  104,  112,  131,  167 

Skin  disorders,  105,  151,  181, 
186 

Sleeplessness,  173 

Small-pox,  26,  41,  57 

Sock  (see  Stocking) 

Soils,  18,  19 

Soldiers,  26,  28,  93 

Speaking  (see  Voice) 

Specialties,  manufacture,  97 

Specific  weight,  (see  Weight) 

STEINBEIS,  Dr.  von,  98 

Stocking,  51,  88,  124,  167 

Stockinet  web,  74,  96 

Stomach,  32,  36,  58,  60,  65,  74, 
108,  151,  153 

Stopwatch  (see  Nerves,  Meas- 
urements) 

"  Strangles,"  107 

Strawberries,  151 

Sugar  water,  58, 

Summer,  65,  133,  148,  157,  162, 
174 

Sunstroke,  65,  92 

Swabia,  90 


Tailors,  100 

Tailors'  clippings,  136 

Tartaric  acid,  24 

Teachers,  64 

Temperature  variations.  50,  57, 

59,  65,  84,  92,  116,  185 
Terror  (see  Emotions) 
Thread,  cotton,  in 

"     woolen,  in 
Throat,  56,  73,   78,  79,  82,  88, 

108,  no,  138,  142,  151, 

188 

Toes  (see  Foot) 
Tonsils,  187 
Tooth-ache,   173 
Training  (see  Hardening) 
Trousers,  50,  73,  95,  154,  160 
Tubercles  (see  Pulmonary) 
Turkish  bath  (see  Baths) 
Typhus,  17,  21,  26,  43,  56,  185 
Tyrolese,  164 

U 

Undervests,  12,  48.  153 
United  States,  89 
Upholstery,  120 


Varicose  veins,  3 

Vegetable  fiber,  14,  48,  66,  73, 
81,  85,  91, 105,  106, 107, 
109,  117,  119,  127,  131, 
136,  138,  145,  172,  189 

Vegetarianism,  177 

Ventilation,  10,  34,  47,  52,  54, 
65,  72,  88,  90,  107,  in, 
134,  137,  142,  167 

Vienna,  175 

Vinegar,  24 

Vinous  ferment,  20 

Vis.  Med.  Nat.  (see  ' '  Salutary" 
principle) 

Voice,  42,  82,  no,  138,  142, 
188 


Index. 


199 


W 

Waistcoat,  36 

Walls,  airtight,  19 

War,  41,  49,  113 

Warmth,  line  of  extra,  36,  50, 

67 

Water,   excess,   2,  6,  8,   10,  n, 
15,  27,  28,  31,  32,  42, 
104 
Water,  liter-weight,  30 

"     in  sleeping  room,  132 

"     sugared,  58 

"     underground,  17 
Water-closets,  effluvia,  43,  55 
Weeds,  22 

Weight,  specific,  15,  28,  70 
Whooping-cough,  59 
Wild  tribes,  75 
Wind  (see  Digestion) 
Window  open  (see  Ventilation) 
Wine-must,  20,  23 


Winter,  10,  50,   107,  133,   137, 

188 
Women's    dress,    51,    74,    163, 

166,  169 
Woodwork,  120 
Wool,  adulteration,  91,  no 
"    carbonized,  135 
"     combustibility,  106 
"     curative  power,  86 
'  *     dyed  (see  Dyes) 
Working  capacity,   3,  5,  8,   10, 
n,  30,  32,  33,  61,  65, 
^9,90 

Working  Power  of  Man,  8 
Writers'  cramp,  145 


Yeast,  20,  23,  24 
Z 
Zoological  garden,  67,  178 


WHOLESALE  AND    RETAIL 
DEPOT 


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CLOTHING,   BEDDING,    ETC. 

DR.    JAEGER'S 

Sanitnrg 


All  articles  manufactured  under  this  System  are  of 
the  finest  and  purest  Wool,  without  any  admixture 
of  vegetable  fiber,  are  free  from  noxious  dyes, 

and  bear  the  following  Trade  Mark  :  — 


This 
TRADE    MARK 

is  the  sole 
guarantee  of 


Manufacture 

under 

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authority. 


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